


The worst possible timing.

by Geekygirl669



Series: The worst possible timing. [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: How Do I Tag, M/M, Miscarriage, Mpreg, Post Mpreg, Post Mpreg Daryl Dixon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-20
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-02-16 05:54:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 35,734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21502963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geekygirl669/pseuds/Geekygirl669
Summary: The zombie Apocolypse could not have come at a worse time for the Grimes/Dixon family.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Rick Grimes
Series: The worst possible timing. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1772059
Comments: 25
Kudos: 71





	1. Days gone by.

**Author's Note:**

> the story will focus mostly on canon with me changing somethings to fit Rick and Daryl having been married since before the zombies.  
> I have taken some lines straight from the show.

On the 5th of May 2009, Daryl Dixon suffered a miscarriage after months of trying to have another baby with his husband Rick Grimes and decided the best thing for him to do was go on a camping trip with his brother Merle and get away from everything that was happing for a week or two.

"Whens papa coming home?" Carl asked one night as he and Rick eat dinner.

"Soon," Rick said not knowing exactly when Daryl was planning on coming home. "You’re going round to aunt Loris tomorrow."

"I know dad," Carl said not happy about this at all. "Why do I have to go again?"

"Because I have work tomorrow night and Papa isn't here to watch you," Rick told Carl slightly annoyed with his husband who was supposed to be home three days ago.

"I know he was supposed to be home a couple of days ago. I heard you arguing on the phone last night." Carl admitted to his dad.

"Why weren't you in bed?"

"I was getting a glass of water. What’s going on?" Carl asked getting worried.

"Nothing’s going on bud. Papa and uncle Merle just wanted to go on a together before Merle moves away." Ricks said only half lying. Daryl and Merle had been planning on going on a trip before Merle moved away but it was only going to be a weekend-long until Daryl found out he had miscarried.

"I'm 12 dads I know that's not what's going on," Carl told him sounding annoyed.

"Nothing is going on Carl. Your Papa just needed to go on a trip away. He’ll, be back soon. I promise." Rick said softly to Carl. 

"Okay," Carl said not happy to drop the subject but knowing his dad wasn't going to talk about it.

Rick just smiled sadly at his son before going back to eating his food knowing that he was going to have to have an unpleasant conversation with his husband that night.

**************************************************************  
"I’m not ready to come home." Daryl said the minted he picked up the phone.

"Carl knows something’s going on and you need to come back for him," Rick said hoping this would get Daryl to come home.

"I won't make it home for a couple of days but well leave in the morning," Daryl said after about thirty seconds of silence.

"We miss you."

"I miss you guys too."

"Well see you in a couple of days then," Rick confirmed.

"Yeah I’ll be back in a couple of days," Daryl said before hanging up the phone.

Rick sighed placing his phone down on the kitchen counter relieved that this conversation had gone better than he had expected it to.

**************************************************************

"Carl’s starting to wonder what’s going on with Daryl," Rick said as he and Shane eat lunch in their police car.

"Daryl's still not home then?" Shane asked already knowing the answer.

"No but I called him last night and he said he would start making his way home this morning," Rick said before taking a bit of his sandwich.

"You think he's actually going to come home this time?" Shane asked knowing that the last time Daryl had said he was going to be home in a couple of days was a week ago.

"Yeah. I told him Carl was starting to wonder about what's been happing." Rick said but before Shane got the chance to reply there was noise over their scanner and they head to head off to deal with a car chase.

Rick and Shane never got a chance to finish their conversation.

**************************************************************

"what." was Daryl's first words when he answered the phone to Shane later that afternoon.

"Rick’s been shot," Shane told Daryl.

"He’s been what?" Daryl asked his mind struggling to comprehend what Shane had told him.

"He’s in the hospital because he was shot," Shane said slowly. "He’s in surgery."

"I'll be there as fast as I can. Keep me informed if anything happens."

"Of course I will," Shane said pushing his hatred for Daryl away for his best friend.

"Where’s Carl?" 

"He’s with Lori at ours. Doesn’t know what's going on. He was supposed to stay at our tonight."

"Don’t tell him what’s going on. I'll tell him when I get back." Daryl told him.

"What’s going on?"

"Let me know if anything happens," Daryl told him before hanging up the phone.

"What’s going on?" Merle asked from his spot in the car next to Daryl.

"Ricks been shot," Daryl said before staring out the window.

The rest of the car ride was in complete silence. Merle drove as fast as he can and Daryl spent the whole trip staring out the window.

"Where is he?" Daryl asked Shane the minute he and Merle walked into the hospital later the next evening.

"He got out of surgery about an hour ago. The doctors won't tell me anything because I'm not family. So that's all I know." 

Daily just nodded before walking over to the nurses' station. "Rick Grimes?" 

"Relationship to the patient?" The nurse asked not looking up from her computer.

"I'm his husband," Daryl told the women as she finally looked up at him.

"I'll let his doctor know your hear." The nurse said with a sad smile as she picked up the phone.

Daryl just thanked her before going to site in the chair next to Shane and Merle. 

"What they say?" Shane asked as soon as Daryl had seat down.

"She’s letting the doctor know I'm here," Daryl answered looking down at his lap.

It was another twenty minutes before the doctor walked into the waiting room called for Rick Grimes family.

"How is he?" was the first thing Daryl said to the doctor when he reached him.

"Luckily the bullet didn't hit anything important and we were able to stop the bleeding." The doctor started off saying. "He’s stable right now. Asleep."

"Can I see him?" Daryl asked needing to see with his own two eyes that rick was okay.

"Only one at a time right now."

The three of them just nodded before Daryl followed the doctor down the hall and to Rick's room.

Daryl had hidden a gasp as he walked into the room, to see his usually brave and strong husband looking so weak and vulnerable attacked to all the different machines laying in a hospital bed.

Daryl walked over and seat in a chair next to Ricks bed grabbing his hand careful of the IV.

"How long is he going to be asleep for?" Daryl asked the doctor who had followed him into the room.

"We don't know. He could wake up today or next week. We just don't know."

Daryl didn't know how he was supposed to react to that so he just nodded staring down at his husband.

Daryl seat with Rick for about an hour before he decided it was time for him to go and talk to Carl about what was going on with Rick.

"You can go and see him now," Daryl told Shane walking back into the waiting room.

Shane just gave Daryl a sad smile before walking down the hall to the room one of the nurses told him Rick was in.

"Can you drive me to Lori’s house please?" Daryl asked his older brother.

"Course," Merle said standing up.

The two of them made their way to the car before driving silently the twenty minutes to Lori’s house.

Lori opened the door with a sad smile when Daryl and Merle finally got there before calling out for Carl.

"Papa," Carl shouted happily as he ran down the stairs to give Daryl a hug.

"Hey bud," Daryl said hugging his son back tightly. 

"Where’s dad?" Carl asked a minute later when he had pulled away from Daryl and realized that Rick wasn't there.

"I need to talk to you about that bud," Daryl said kneeling in front of his son.

"What’s going on?" Carl asked getting worried by his Papas tone of voice.

"There was an accident when your dad was at work." Daryl started really struggling to tell his son. "Your dad what shot." 

"He was what?" Carl asked starting to cry.

"He was shot," Daryl repeated bringing Carl back in for a hug. "He’s in a coma in the hospital. They don't know when he's going to wake up.

"But he’s going to wake up right?" Carl asked pulling away enough to see his dads face.

"We don't know bud," Daryl said wanting to be truthful to his son. "I hope he does but I just don't know."

"Can I see him?" Carl asked.

"Not right now. But tomorrow I'll take you and hopefully, the doctors will let you into the room." 

"Can we go home?" Carl asked just wanting to go and lay down his dad’s bed.

"Of course we can," Daryl said before saying goodbye and thank you to Lori.

The car ride home was spent in silence. Carl snuggled into Daryl's side in the back of the car and Merle just focused on getting then home.

*************************************************************

"Can I sleep with you?" Carl asked his dad after he had gotten ready for bed.

"Of course you can. I have to go and talk to your uncle Merle for a bit so go and lay down in there when I'm finished I'll come in with you." Daryl told Carl.

"Okay," Carl said before he made his way to his dads' room laying down on Rick’s side of the bed as soon as he got there.

"Thanks for today," Daryl said as he walked up to his big brother. "You can go home now. I know you must be beat after the last two days we've had."

"I ain't going nowhere little bro. going to sleep in your guest room. I'm there for anything you need." Merle said his caring side coming out.

"Thanks but you don't have to," Daryl said not wanting to put his brother out.

"Know I don't but I'm gonna." Merle said as he walked into the living room. "Go to bed with the little squirt I'm gonna watch some TV."

"Keep the volume down," Daryl said smiling before he turned around and made his way back to his and Rick’s room.

Daryl grabbed some clothes for him to sleep in before walking into the adjoining bathroom to get changed. When Daryl walked back into his room he saw Carl sitting up in bed looking down at the Picture Daryl knows usually sits on Rick’s bedside table.

"Do you remember that day?" Daryl asked as he moved towards the bed. 

"No," Carl said looking up at his father.

"You had just turned two and your dad was finally able to get some proper time off work and we decided to go on a little trip." Daryl started as he seats down on the bed. "We decided to head down to see your aunt and uncle. Thought it would be fun to take the long way there. See a few fun places on the way down. That picture was taken on the way back. You were fed up of being in the car so we stopped off in this little town and just spent the day looking around shops. Your dad took the picture when we were in the park. Always said it was his favorite picture of use."

"I don't remember any of it," Carl said placing the picture back on the bedside table.

"You were only two." Daryl pointed out as he laid down. "Now time to sleep. It’s been a long day."

Carl just nodded before laying down next to his father pulling the pillow closer to him and letting himself fall asleep all thoughts of everything that was going on leaving.

**************************************************************

The next morning Daryl did as promised and took Carl to the hospital to see Rick. 

"Look your dads attached to lots of machines." Daryl waned Carl kneeling in front of him outside Rick’s hospital room. "He looks really pale."

"I know papa," Carl said having seen someone in a coma on the TV.

"You need to be careful around him." 

"I know Papa can we just go in and see him please?" Carl asked just wanting to see his father.

"Okay." Daryl said standing back up and pushing the door open. "Go and sit in one of the chairs next to his bed. Talk to him it's supposed to help people in comas."

"Okay," Carl said before going to do exactly what Daryl told him to do. "Hey dad."

Daryl watched from the door of the room as his son talks to his husband who was in a coma with a tear in his eyes hoping beyond belief that Rick would wake up soon so that he didn't have to see his son look so sad for much longer.

*************************************************************

Over the next two weeks, nothing changed with Rick. He didn't get any better but he also didn't get any worse so Daryl was taking that as a win.

But while noting changed with Rick the world did start to change. News reports were saying that Europe was becoming overrun by some kind of monster. The dead coming back. But Daryl wasn't quite sure if he believed that's what was really happening.

That didn't stop Daryl from worrying that whatever was happing over there would make its way to the US and threaten his family.

Carl sleeping in his parent's room has become a natural occurrence since Rick was shot. Wanting to be as close to Daryl as he possibly could be.

"I'm sorry bud but you have to go back to school tomorrow," Daryl said to Carl as he helped him pack his school bag.

"But I want to see dad," Carl said finding the fact that Daryl was making him go back to school the worse thing ever.

"And you can once you've gone to school," Daryl told him getting tired of this conversation." I know you want to spend time with your dad but school is really important and I know he would prefer you to go to school than to spend the day sitting next to him."

"Fine but you better take me to see him as soon as school finishes," Carl said as if Daryl wasn't already planning on doing just that.

"Of course I'm going to take you to see him after school."

Daryl kept his promise and every day after school that week he took Carl to the hospital to tell his dad about his day before taking Carl home for dinner and bed.

**************************************************************

Things just got worse after that. What was happening in Europe did make its way over to the US like Daryl feared it would.

"I think we need to get to one of the safe zones," Shane said two weeks later as he, Lori, Merle and Daryl seat around the table at Daryl’s.

"We can't leave. Ricks still in the hospital and we can leave without him." Daryl Said knowing that at some point he would probably have to leave without Rick but not able to do that yet.

"We can't stay here it's not safe," Shane said fed up of Daryl not even considering leaving to save his family.

"Then you and Lori leave. We don't all have to go together. There moving Rick somewhere safe I'm just going to stay until they do that then I'll head straight to the city. It will just be another week or two."

"We probably don't have two weeks before the place is full. We need to go now." Shane said getting really frustrated.

"Then go. No one is stopping you. Take your wife and go. I'm going to worry about my family you worry about yours." Daryl said before standing up and walking out of the room.

"He just needs to know Ricks okay. How would you feel if it was Lori in the hospital right now?" Merle asked frustrated with Shane. (Merle and Shane never really got on.)

"If I had a son I would think about him first," Shane said before he got up and stormed out ignoring the fact that he had just told Lori that he would leave her there on her own where he in the same position as Daryl was.

"I'll see you guys soon," Lori said before following her husband out of the room.

**************************************************************

Daryl never got to wait two weeks to see if Rick was going to wake up because just two days later Shane and Lori showed up at his house telling him that it was time for them to leave. And that there was no point waiting for Rick because while he was at the hospital with him today he had flat lined and that he was dead. The hospital was overrun and they had to get out now to live.

After getting over the shock of Rick’s death Daryl quickly made his way upstairs to get Carl before they made their way out to there already packed car with Merle following Shane and Lori to the safe zone in Atlanta.

Before the five of them got the chance to make it to Atlanta they saw Bombs being dropped on the city and they and a few groups of other people were making their way up to higher ground to get away from the zombies.

"Everything’s going to be okay," Daryl said to Carl as he pulled the car to a stop. "Well set up some tents. We should be perfectly safe." Daryl said not really sure if he believed what he was saying.

"Yeah. Camping should be fun right little man." Merle said looking round at his nephew. "Can help me and your dad hunt."

"That sounds kind of fun," Carl said quietly even though he was still incredibly worried.

Daryl smiled sadly as he got out of the car having always wanted to take Carl camping and hunting but not having had the chance to do it yet. Wishing that when they did it wasn't because of a zombie apocalypse.

once the three of them were out of the car they introduced themselves to some of the other people who had made their way up the hill before they decided where everyone was going to set up their camps and everyone got to work setting up their own tents and getting there things ready.

Daryl found the fact that the guy. (Dale. Daryl thinks he heard him say his names was.) Sitting on top of his RV with a shotgun rather calming knowing that if any zombies got up there he could kill them before they got to close.  
That didn't stop Daryl from spending the night outside their tent crossbow in hand finally letting the tears fall. All the emotions over Rick’s death finally getting the best of him.

*************************************************************

Over the next weeks the group all become comfortable around each other.  
Daryl was still wary around some people especially around Carl's friend Sophia’s dad.  
But other than that the last two weeks had actually been quite good. All thing considered.

He still missed Rick like crazy, he always would the man was the love of his life, but he was slowly learning how to live without him.

"Papa," Carl said as he walked up to Daryl.

"Yeah bud," Daryl said looking round at his son. 

"Can I go down to the water with Carol and Sophia?" Carl asked bouncing on his toes to go and have some fun.

"Of course. Stay were Carol can see you and be careful. Do what Carol tells you to do." Daryl said knowing that Carl already knew the rules but reminding him anyway.

"Of course papa," Carl said before running after Carol and Sophia.

Daryl smiled at his son before going back to skinning the rabbit he had caught earlier.

"You sure it's a good idea to let him go down on his own?" Shane asked walking up to Daryl.

"He’s no alone, he's with Carol and I trust her," Daryl said not looking up at Shane having had enough of Shane trying to tell him how to parent Carl.

"Do you really want to let him out of your sight?" Shane asked not giving this up.

"I trust Carol to watch him Shane. I can't keep him right by my side all the time. He’s ten he wants to go have fun with his friends. With everything that's happened the least I could do is let him have fun." Daryl said his frustration with Shane only growing.

"I wouldn't let him but whatever," Shane told Daryl.

"Yeah well, he's my son not your so it's not your decision," Daryl said finally looking up at Shane. 

Shane just looked at Daryl weirdly before walking away from Daryl and over to Lori. 

**************************************************************

"I'm getting fed up of Shane," Daryl told Merle as the two of them seat in their tent that night.

"What’s he done this time?" Merle asked quietly because Carl was asleep on the other side of the tent.

"I let Carl go and play with Sophia by the lake and he didn't think it was the right decision. Let me know that he thought I shouldn't let Carl out of my sight." Daryl looked over at were Carl was sleeping.

"He ain't Shane's son he doesn't have a say in how you raise him," Merle said more annoyed with Shane then he normally is.

"I told him that. Didn’t stop him from telling me he would do it differently. He's trying to make me feel like I'm doing everything wrong, like I'm a bad father." Daryl said sadly.

"You ain't a bad father," Merle assured his brother in a rare moment of showing his softer side. "Shane ain't a dad. He doesn't know what a kid needs. Hell no one really knows what their kids need right now." 

"No I don't know what Carl needs right now." Daryl agreed looking away from his son. "And it makes me feel like shit every time Shane tells me I'm doing everything wrong."

"Well you ain't. That kid is happy. Even with everything that's going on I've still seen him smiling and having fun. That to me says you’re doing a great job."

"Thanks," Daryl said not really sure what to say to his brother when he was actually being nice and caring.

Daryl's problems didn't go away after that. No Shane still felt like he could butt into everything and it still made Daryl feel like a shit dad. But things with the rest of the group did start to get better.  
Daryl's relationship with Carol got better despite her controlling husband.  
Merle got closer to Andrea. But Daryl thought that was more his brother having a crush on her and her just putting up with him.

**************************************************************

Rick groaned as he opened his eyes looking around for his best friend. "Shane." Rick pushed himself him getting worried. "You in the Jon?" Rick asked.

When he didn't get a reply Rick tried to stand up quickly falling to the floor his muscles too weak from lake of use.

Once he was finally able to stand up, using his IV stand to lean on, Rick stumbled into the bathroom. Rick sighed in relief when he turned the tap on and water actually come out. Leaning down with a groan Rick coupled down as much water as he could realizing that he was really thirsty.

"Nurse." Rick shouted as he stumbled out of his hospital room only getting more worried as he took in the state of the place.

"Anyone?" Rick walked down the corridor his state of panic only growing as he saw more of the hospital. Rick stopped short when he noted the chained door at the end of the corridor with the words 'don't open, dead inside' before he picked up the pace as much as he could with a bullet wound to the side, down the hall when a saw hands reaching out through a small gap in the door and around the corner. Trying to get out of the hospital as quick as he could.

When Rick got outside he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw all of the dead bodies piled up on the floor. 

Rick felt like he was going to throw up as he made his way through all of the bodies trying to get home and find out what happened to his family. 

Rick ran as fast as he could up the hill smiling when he noticed a bike. Rick stumbled back when he saw someone dragging themselves along the floor, legs missing and guts hanging out. Quickly picking the bike up Rick got on and made his way to his house hoping to find his family.

Waking up in a destroyed hospital with no clue what was going on and no one there to tell him what was going on. Wasn’t the scariest thing that Rick's ever had to go through. No not knowing whether his husband and son is okay is the scariest thing Rick's ever had to go through.

**************************************************************

Rushing into his house Rick's panic only grew when he took in the broken glass on the floor and stolen TV.

Rick ran upstairs shouting. "Daryl, Carl." Rick ran into Carl's room a little relieved to find out the only things missing were Carl's clothes and a couple of his favorite toys, hoping that meant Daryl and Carl were somewhere safe but still worried.

Walking across the hall and into his and Daryl room he felt like crying when he saw the state it was in. the mattress was on the floor draws pulled out of their dresser, lamps smashed and their windows smashed.

Rick walked out of the room not being able to look at the destroyed room that he shared with his husband for twelve years.

Sitting down on the steps outside his house Rick finally let all of the emotions he's been feeling for the last he doesn't know how long come out and started crying. Hoping with everything he has that some point soon he's going to find his family.

**************************************************************

"What you looking at?" Daryl asked Carl as he walked into their tent seeing his son looking down at something in his hands.

"Yours and dad's wedding picture," Carl said looking over at Daryl showing him the picture.

"I thought that picture got left at the house," Daryl said walking over at Carl and grabbing the picture.

"When you told me we were leaving without dad I grabbed the picture. I wanted a picture of dad." Carl said watching as his dad teared up a bit from the memories of that day.

"Thanks for that bud," Daryl said sitting down next to Carl. "I didn't think I would see this again." 

"I miss him," Carl said looking down at his hands.

"I miss him two bud. A lot." Daryl admitted pulling his son in for a side hug. 

"I can't believe he's really gone." Carl pulled away from his dad taking the picture back. "I keep dreaming that he's just going to come back and everything will be fine."

"I wish that would happen to bud," Daryl said sadly. "But he's gone and we just have to get used to that."

"I'm trying to Papa."

"I know you are."

**************************************************************

Getting hit on the head was not something Rick expected to happen. Giving the fact that he thought he was the only one there.

"What," Rick said as he slowly came to. "What happened?"

"How did you get that cut?" A man asked Rick from his spot next to the bed Rick was in.

"I was shot," Rick said groggily trying to sit up.

"Did you get bit?"

"No just shot," Rick said as he finally seat up with a groan.

"You sure?" The guy asked still looking at Rick wearily.

"Yeah I'm sure." Rick looked at the man and his boy confused as to why they were so worried he got bit.

"Good." the man said before walking closer to Rick. "The names Morgan. This is my son Duane."

"Rick." 

**************************************************************

"You even know what's going on?" Morgan asked Rick as the three of them eat dinner.

"I woke up today in the hospital, came here, that's all I know," Rick told him still really confused as to what was happening.

"But you know about the dead people, right?" Morgan asked hoping he didn't have to explain everything that had happened.

"Yeah, I saw a lot of that. Out on the loading dock, pulled in trucks." Rick said only getting more confused at the expression on Morgan’s face.

"No... Not the once they put down. The once they didn't. The walkers. Like the one I shot today. Cause he'd have ripped into you, tried to eat you, taken some flesh at least. Well, I guess if this is the first you’re hearing it, I know how it must sound." Morgan said not really sure how else he was supposed to explain everything that happened in the last two months. 

"They're out there now, in the street?" Rick asked nervously hating to think of what could happen to him before he got the chance to find his family.

"They get more active after dark sometimes. Maybe it's the cool air. Or hell, maybe it's because I shot that gun today." Morgan said his regret about firing the gun only growing. "Should be fine, long as we stay quiet and they don't figure out were in here. They’ll properly wonder off by morning."

Rick brought his hand up to his face rubbing at his beard.

"They were saying on the news some kind of virus. They were guessing. There was a whole lot of that going on. All those experts looking scared down to their socks." Morgan started to explain more wanting to help Rick as much as he can. "Then the broadcasts stopped, that's the last we heard. That was a few weeks back."

Rick looked over at Morgan socked that he had been in a coma for so long and worrying about what could have happened to his family and what his family thought had happened to him.

"One thing I do know. Don’t get bit. I saw your bandage, that's what I was afraid of." Morgan told him before adding. "Bite kills you. Fever burns you out. After a while you come back. Hungry." 

Rick eats a bit of his food before looking up at Duane noticing that the boy had stopped eating his food. "Seen it happen." Duane told Rick quietly.

Rick knows that something upsetting had happened to these two people but he knows not to press them knowing that if they wanted to tell him they would in their own time.

**************************************************************

"Carl is that your son?" Morgan asked as the three of them laid in the living room, Duane tucked into his father's side. "You said his name today."

"He’s about your son's age," Rick told him smiling sadly at the thought of his son.

"He with his mother?" Morgan asked sadly.

Rick thought about just going along with Carl having a mother not knowing how Morgan would react to him being gay and not wanting to isolate the one person he had right now, before deciding that it was better to just tell the truth. "I hope he's with his other father."

"I hope he is too," Morgan told him as Duane started to stir.

"Did you ask him?" Duane asked his dad quietly.

"The gunshot we got a little bet going. My boy says you're a bank robber." Morgan said after Rick gave him a confused look.

"Yeah that's me. Deadly as Dillinger." Rick said playing along for a bit. "Police officer."

A car alarm shock all three of them making Rick and Morgan quickly stand up. "It’s okay. Son, I'm here it's nothing." Morgan said to his son before looking up at Rick and saying. "One of them must have bumped the car."

"You sure?" Rick asked terrified.

"Happened once before. Went on for a few minutes."

Rick blew out the candle before he and Morgan walked up to the window peering throw one of the gaps.

"The Honda down the street. Same one as last time." Morgan said after a moment of looking out of the window.

"Think we're okay," Morgan said after Duane had walked over to the window.

"That sound. Won’t it bring more of them?" Rick asked.

"Nothing we can do about it now." Morgan pointed out. "Just wait until Morning."

"She’s here," Duane said sadly a moment later.

Morgan pushed Rick out of the way looking out of the window. "Don’t look, Duane." Morgan told his son after he spotted her. "Just get away from the window."

Duane runs over to the bed burying his head into his pillow and crying his eyes out.

"Shhh. quit now." Duane told his son knowing that the loud crying would only bring the walkers closer.

Morgan walked over and pulls his son in for a hug as Rick's stars out the window watching as a zombie walked up to the house and over to the front door.

The three of them seat in the room quietly as the zombie tried turning the doorknob before eventually giving up and shuffling away from the house.

"She died in the other room. On the bed in there. Nothing I could do. That fever. Her skin gave off heat like a furnace." Morgan started trying his best not to let his voice break. "I should have put her down. I know that. But I didn't have it in me. The mother of my child."

*************************************************************

Morgan and Duane spent the next morning teaching Rick how to take out Zombies before the three of them went into Rick's house to see if anything was left that they would find useful.

"You ever seen anybody in here?" Rick asked as he pushed opened the door.

"Area was pretty deserted by the time we got here. A few people still here. But I never saw anyone in your house."

"There alive," Rick told Morgan walking into the dining room. "My husband and son there alive."

"How do you know?" Morgan asked skeptically.

"The photo albums. My son's toys. There all gone. My husband took them." Rick told them looking around the dining room trying to see if anything Daryl had left would be important to them. "They were alive when they left at least." Rick added a moment later.

"There in Atlanta I bet," Duane said after a few moments later.

"That’s right. If they got out of here okay. There in Atlanta." Morgan agreed with his son as Rick picked up a smashed picture from the floor.

"Why there?" Rick asked looking down at the picture of him and Shane on their graduation from the police academy.

"Refugee center. A huge one, they said before the broadcasts stopped."

Rick stood there in his old dining room that he used to share with his husband and son staring down at a photo of him and his best friend thinking about what Morgan had just told him.

*************************************************************

After they had finished up in the house they headed to the police station to get some of the supplies Rick knew would probably still be there.

The three of them made their way into the showers all enjoying having a hot shower for the first time in almost two months. 

Rick gave Duane some of Carl's clothes that were left at the house before the boy ran off to get changed.

"Atlanta sounds like a good deal," Rick told Morgan as he pulled a pair of pants on. "Safer, anyway."

"That’s where we were headed. Things got crazy. A lot of panic. Streets weren't fit to be on. Then my wife. We couldn't travel, not with her hurt like that. We had to find a place to lay low." Morgan explained sadly. "After she died we kind of just froze in place."

"Plan to move on?" Rick asked.

"When we're ready," Morgan told him.

Once they were ready Rick showed them the weapons room to see how many weapons they can find.

"Daddy? Can I learn to shot? I'm old enough." Duane asked as he looked around at all of the weapons.

"Yes, you're going to learn. But we're going to be doing it carefully, teach you to respect the weapon." Morgan said placing a hand on Duane's shoulder and smiling down at his son.

"That’s right. It’s not a toy. You pull the trigger, you have to mean it. Always remember that Duane." Rick explained to the boy as he grabbed one of the duffle bags.

Rick handed Morgan one of the riffles before telling him. "You can take that one. Nothing special. Scopes accurate though."

Once the three of them had stocked up on weapons that headed outside to get one of the police cars.

"Conserve your ammo. Goes faster them you think at target practice. Find yourself a nice open field were they can’t sneak up on you." Rick told Morgan as he placed the duffle bag in the bag of his old police car. "Sure you won't come along."

"Another week maybe. By then at least Duane will know how to shot and I won't be so rusty. Improves our chances on the road."

Rick hands Duane an old walkie talkie before telling him. "You got one battery. Week from now, I'll start turning mine on for a few minutes every day at dawn. You get up there, that's how you find me."

"You think ahead," Morgan said with a smirk as he took the walkie talkie.

"We can't afford not to now." Rick pointed out.

"One thing. They may not seem like much on their own. But in a group? Riled up and hungry? Watch your ass."

"Watch yours." Rick shot back.

"You’re a good man Rick, I hope you find your husband and son," Morgan said as he and Rick shook hands.

"Be seeing you Duane. Take care of your old man." Rick said as Duane walked up to him.

"Yes, sir," Duane said before he noticed something behind Rick.

Rick and Morgan followed Duane's gaze over to a fence where a zombie was pushing against.

"Leon basset. Didn’t think much of him. Careless and dumb. But I can't leave him like this." Rick told them staring at one of his old co-workers sadly.

"They’ll hear the shot." Morgan pointed out.

"Let’s not be here when they show up," Rick said as he walked up to the fence Duane and Morgan walking over to their car.

Rick pulls his gun out of his holster before shooting his old co-worker in the head watching sadly as his body falls to the ground before turning around and walking over to his car. 

All three of them got into their cars driving off in separate directions a small wave goodbye hoping one day they would see each other again.

**************************************************************

Rick makes his way back to where he saw his first zombie knowing what it was he needed to do.

Getting out of his police car Rick walked over to where the Zombie was pulling herself along the grass getting his gun out of his holster.

Rick brought the gun up aiming at the zombies head before pulling the trigger.

Walking back to the car Rick thought sadly about the zombie and the person she once was. Knowing that what he did was the right thing. He was putting the zombie out of her misery.

**************************************************************

"Broadcasting on emergency Band. Travelling on highway 85. Anyone out there. Anyone hear my voice, come back." Rick said into his radio for what felt like the hundredth time hoping someone will finally answer him.

Rick looked down nervously at the gas worried about how much longer he can drive before he runs out before saying. "Hello hello. Can anybody hear me?"

Rick looks up and smiles when he notices a gas station hoping that he will be able to find at least a little bit of gas at the abandoned building.

Rick drives the police cruiser as close to the station as he can before getting out of the car and grabbing the gas container out of the boot.

Rick carefully made his way over the gas pumps making sure he kept a careful eye out for zombies and a hand on top of his gun in case it was needed.

Rick was able to find a little bit of gas before he heard the shuffling of feet.

Rick followed the sound and spotted a little girl in a pink dressing gown dragging a teddy around with her.

"Little girl," Rick called out trying to help her. "Little girl," Rick repeated before the girl turned around a little shocking Rick when he noticed she was dead like the lady in the park and Morgan’s wife.

Rick grabbed his gun pointing at the little girls head and slowly pulling the trigger trying not to let the guilt take over.

**************************************************************

Amy and Lori seat around the radio hoping the person would start talking again when they heard it.

"Hello anyone there," Rick asked as he started driving again.

"Hello, who's there?" Amy asked picking it up

"I'm driving down highway 85 making my way to Atlanta," Rick informed them.

"Hello we can hear you." Amy told them before realizing that whoever was on the other end couldn't hear her. "Do not go into Atlanta." Amy told them just in case they could hear hoping to help them in any way she can.

**************************************************************

Rick stopped the car as the gas finally ran out and got out of his police cruiser looking around to see if he could find any cars or anything so he can make his way to Atlanta.

When Rick spotted the house he grabbed his things out of the cruiser so that no one could steal it and made his way over to the house hoping to find a car.

When Rick got to the house he knocked on the door to see if anyone was home or if any of the dead were in the house. When Rick realized no one was there he walked around the property not finding a car before he noticed the barn and made his way over to it.

Rick opened the door to the barn to see a lone horse in there and he realized that it would have to do. He pulled the bag over his shoulder before climbing onto the horse and making his way to Atlanta.

**************************************************************

Daryl walked over to his son after he had said goodbye to Merle and the rest of the group that was headed to Atlanta. "Hey buddy."

"Hey papa," Carl replied.

"I'm going to be going on a hunt in a bit, get use some food," Daryl told him hoping Carl was going to be okay with his dad leaving for the afternoon.

"Okay. Can I come?" Carl asked like he did every time Daryl had to leave camp.

"Sorry bud but you can't." Daryl sighed wishing Carl was older enough to go hunting with him but knowing with the walkers that Carl was still way too young to.

"Please Papa."

"Carl I'm not going to be gone for too long," Daryl promised kneeling down in front of Carl. "When I get back well start practicing so you can come with me."

"Fine," Carl said before walking away from his father.

Daryl sighed as he watched his son walk over to his friends.

**************************************************************

Rick looked around as he rode into Atlanta worried when he didn't see anything.

Rick's peaceful ride was disrupted when he turned around a corner and spotted a whole lot of the dead. Rick tried to turn around as quickly and quietly as he could but failed as most of heard turned around and started to walk towards him.

Panicking Rick tried to get away as quick as he could but only walked into another heard.

Things only got worse from there and in a panic Rick found himself climbing into a tank his bag of ammo left lying on the floor surrounded by zombies.

Rick panicked when he noticed the officer he thought was dead was one of them and pulled his gun up shot him in the head before dropping his gun and covering his ears as the bullet sound bounced off all the walls of the tank.

"Hey you dumbass. You in the tank. You cozy in there?" Rick heard a voice say when the ringing finally stopped.

Rick smiled for the first time in days hoping that maybe something good was finally happening.

**************************************************************

The zombie Apocalypse could not have come at a worse time for the Grimes/Dixon family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.  
> I know this chapter was really long and the next chapter will probably be shorter than this one.  
> I have read through and tried to correct all of the mistakes but if I have missed some please let me know in the comments so I can fix them.  
> I have re-read the chapter and corrected all the grammar and the spelling mistakes I missed last time.


	2. Guts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry its taken so long to update, I've been really struggling to write this lately but last week I finally caught up with the walking dead and as I have no new episodes left to watch I thought I would give this another go.  
> I hope you liked this chapter and I will try my hardest to post more often from now on. I'm gonna try to post one chapter every two weeks.

“Any luck?” Lori asked Amy as they sat around the camp trying to sort out the mushrooms they had collected.

“How do we know if there poison?” Amy asked as she looked down at them.

“Uh, there’s only one sure way I know to find out.” Lori mentioned with a small smile.

“Aske Shane when he gets back?” Amy asked not quite sure whether she was correct.

“Yeah, that’s it.” Lori conformed as she stood up. “Thank you.” She added before turning her attention to Dale and Carl. “Dale, I’m heading out. Carl I need you to stay where Dale can see you, okay? Your dad should be back soon.”

“Sure Aunt Lori.” Carl replied not looking up from what he was doing.

“You too. Don’t wander too far. Stay within shouting distance. And if you see anything, Holler, I’ll come running.” Dale told Lori sternly.

Lori just nodded before walking into the woods to get more food for camp.

**********************************************************************************

“Hey, you alive in there?” Glenn asked over the radio.

“Hello? Hello?” Rick asked still not quite believing what he was hearing.

“There you are.” Glenn replied. “You had me wondering.”

“Where are you?” Rick asked desperately. “Outside? Can you see me right now?” 

“Yeah, I can see you. You’re surrounded by walkers. That’s the bad news.” Glenn told him making Rick groan.

“There’s good news?” Rick asked not getting how being surrounded by walkers could be a good thing.

“No.” 

“Listen whoever you are, I don’t mind telling you I’m a little concerned in here.” Rick admitted.

“Oh man. You should see it from over here.” Glenn told Rick before adding. “You’d be having a major freak-out.” 

“Got any advice for me?” Rick asked hoping with everything he had the other man had some way of helping him get out to find his family.

“Yeah, I’d say make a run for it.” Glenn suggested not being all too helpful.

“That’s it? Make a run for it.” 

“My way’s not as dumb as it sounds. You’ve got eyes on the outside here. There’s one geek still up on the tank but the others have claimed down and joined the feeding frenzy where the horse went down. With me so far?” Glenn asked wanting to do whatever he can to help the man trapped in the tank.

“So far.”

“Okay, the street on the other side of the tank is less crowded. If you move now while they’re distracted, you stand a chance.” Glen explained to him before asking. “Got ammo?”

“In that duffel bag I dropped out there, and guns.” Rick told Glen as he got himself ready to make a run for it. “Can I get it?”

“Forget the bag, okay?” Glen said after a second. “It’s not an option. What do you have on you?”

“Hang on.” Rick looks down at his hands, clipping the grenade he found to his belt and deciding it was probably better not to tell the man about it. “Yeah. Yeah. I’ve got a Beretta with one clip, 15 rounds.”

“Make ‘em count. Jump of the right side of the tank, keep going in that direction. There’s an alley up the street, maybe 50 yards. Be there.” Glen lists of hoping that Rick makes it there.

“Hey what’s your name?” Rick asked wanting to at least know the name of the guy his was trusting to get him out alive.

“Have you been listening?” Glen asked sounding a bit annoyed. “You’re running out of time.”

“Right.” Rick said before making his break for it and opening the top of the tank waking a walker that was on the top with a metal shard he had grabbed slicing its face wide open.

Rick made his way to the street Glen told him about firing at any walker in his way. He had killed eight of them before he reached the street and the man he had been talking to on the radio.

“Whoa! Not dead!” Glenn shouted when he noticed Rick’s gun was on him. “Come on! Come on! Back here! Come on! Come on!”

Rick follows Glenn down the alley before they reached a ladder and Glenn started to climb it. “What are you doing?” He asked when Rick didn’t follow him up. “Come on!”

Rick follows Glenn up the ladder both of them panting when they finally reach the top. “Nice move’s there Clint Eastwood. You the new sheriff come riding in to clean up the town?”

“It wasn’t my intention.” Rick informs him not wanting to seem like he was better than he was.

“Yeah, Whatever. Yeehaw. You’re still a dumbass.”

“Rick, thanks.” 

“Glenn, you’re welcome. Oh no.” Glenn said when he noticed all the walkers now in the alley. “The bright side is it will be the fall that kills us.” The two of them finish climbing the ladder reaching the top of the store before Glenn added. “I’m a glass half-full kind of guy.”

“Are you the one that barricaded the alley?” Rick asked feeling a bit bad that someone else’s work was wrecked.

“Somebody did.” Glenn shrugged. “I guess when the city got overrun. Whoever did it was thinking not many geeks would get through.”

“Back at the tank, why’d you stick your neck out for me?” Rick asked a little bit confused as to why a strangers was being so nice to him.

“Call it foolish, naive hope that if I’m ever that far up shit creek, somebody might do the same for me.” Glenn said shocking Rick by how much hope he still had. “Guess I’m an even bigger dumbass then you.” Glenn grabs another ladder walking down it and onto another building.

Glenn takes out his walkie-talkie before saying. “I’m back. Got a guest plus four geeks in the alley.”

The two of them go down a staircase to a door, two walkers right near them.  
Two people come out of the door wearing protective gear with baseball bats. Each of them go after one of the walker bashing their brains in. 

“Let’s go.” Glenn shouts to Rick as he rushes into the building.

“Morales, let’s go.” T-Dog shouts as he follows Rick and Glenn into the building Morales following a little behind.

As soon as all four of them are the building Rick turns around to see two more people and a gun pointed at his face. 

“You son of a bitch.” Andrea shouted at Rick extremely angry. “We ought to kill you.”

“Just chill out, Andrea, back off.” Morales said trying to keep the peace.

“Come on ease up.” Jacqui said also trying to make sure the peace is kept.

“Ease up?” Andrea asked starting to get a little made at her team mates too. “You’re kidding me, right? We’re dead because of this stupid asshole.”

“Andrea, I said back the hell off.” Morales shouted at her not being in the mode to put up with this.

“Were dead… All of us…. Because of you.” Andrea shouted at Rick.

“I don’t understand.” Rick told them extremely confused right now.

“Look.” Morales started. “We came into the city to look for supplies. You know what the key to scavenging is? Surviving! You know the key to surviving? Sneaking in and out, tiptoeing. Not shooting up the streets like it the O.K.”

“Every geek for miles around heard you pooping of rounds.” T-Dog added.

“You just ran the dinner bell.” Andrea told him gun still pointed in Rick’s direction.

“Get the picture now?” Morales asked.

Rick jumps a little when he hears the sound of walkers trying to get in through the doors Turing around to see them piling up.

“Oh God.” Andrea said also noticing how many walkers were out there now. “What the hell were you doing out there anyway?”

“Trying to flag the helicopter.” Rick told them.

“Helicopter? Man that’s crap. Ain’t no damn helicopter.” T-Dog informed him.

“You were chasing a hallucination, imagining thing. It happens.” Jacqui told him trying to say it in a way that didn’t make Rick feel bad or stupid.

“I saw it.” Rick said sounding extremely confused.

“Hey T-Dog, try that C.B.” Morals said point over to something rick couldn’t quit see. “Can you contact the others?”

“Others?” Rick said with a small bit of hope. “The refugee centre?”

“Yeah, the refugee centre. They’ve got biscuits waiting at the oven for us.” Jacqui said sarcastically.

“Got no single.” T-Dog said after try to get in contact with the other survivors for a minute. “Maybe the roof.” T-Dog said as they heard a gunshot from the roof.

“Oh no. Is that Dixon =.” Andrea said shocking Rick. 

“What is that maniac doing?” Morales said before they all took off running for the roof.

“Dixon.” Rick said a little breathlessly before following the others to the roof. 

Rick is greeted with his Merle Dixon shooting Walkers off the side of the roof with a sniper rifle.

“Hey Dixon are you crazy?” T-Dog shouted as he ran over to Merle.

Merle just laughs as he continues shooting the walkers below.

“You’re bringing more of them here.” T-Dog shouted starting to get really annoyed. “Just chill.”

“Hey! Bad enough I’ve got this taco-bender on my ass all day. Now I’m gonna take orders from you? I don’t think so, bro, that’ll be the day.” Rick sighed hearing that his bother-in-law hadn’t changed in the slightest since the last time he saw him almost ten years ago.

“That’ll be the day? You got something you want to tell me?” T-dog asked as he moved closer to Merle.

“Hey T-Dog man just leave it.” Morals shouted over to T-Dog not wanting to put up with the inevitable fight.

“No.” T-Dog shouted back not ready to give it up.

“All right? It ain’t worth it. Now Merle, just relax okay? We’ve go enough trouble.” Morales pointed out thinking about the walkers down stairs currently blocking them in.

“You want to know the day?” Merle asked T-Dog

“Yeah.” T-Dog nodded.

“I’ll tell you the day, Mr Yo It’s the day I take orders from a.” T-dog didn’t let Merle finish and the two of them started to fight.

“Hey, come on.” Morals said trying to get closer to them. “Merle. That’s enough.”

“Come on Dixon.” Andrea shouted getting extremely fed up with her group. 

Rick watched for a little bit shocked that his brother in law was over their alive before the fight got to out of hand and Morals pulls a gun on Merle, who is beating T-Dog to a pulp. 

“Yeah! All right! We’re gonna have ourselves a little powwow, huh? Talk about who’s in charge. I vote me. Anybody else? Huh? Democracy time, ya’ll. Show me hands, Huh? All in favour? Huh? Come on. Let’s see ‘em. Oh come on. All in favour? Yeah. That’s good. Now that means I’m the boss, right? Yeah. Anybody else? Hmmm? Anybody?” Merle shouted as Rick made his way over.

“Yeah.” Rick shouted back making Merle look over at him with a shocked expression. 

Rick moves over to his brother-on-law and hits him over the head with a pipe he had found on the floor. 

“Officer friendly.” Merle says shocked as Rick handcuffs him to a pipe on the roof.

“Look here Merle. Things are different now. No dumb-ass-shit, inbred white-trash fools either. Only dark meet and white meet. There’s us and the dead. We survive this by pulling together to apart.” Rick explained to him a little worried about how Merle was going to react.

“Screw you man.” Merle said and the tiny bit of happiness Rick felt going away. “Screw you.”

“You like to make a habit of missing the point.” Rick pointed out wanting to ask about Daryl and Carl more than anything but too worried about what the answer was going to be.

“Screw you.” Merle said again never having liked his brother-in-law that much.

“Ought to be polite to the man with the gun.” Rick commented Showing off his gun. “It’s just comment sense.”

“You wouldn’t.” Merle told them almost certain on what he was saying. “You’re a cop.”

“All I am now is a man looking for his family. Anyone getting in the way of that is gonna lose. I’ll give you a moment to think about that.” Rick told him pointing at his nose. “You got something there.”

“What you gonna do arrest me.” Merle said with a laugh as they both quickly thought back to the time Rick did have to arrest his brother-in-law. “Hey what you doing?” Merle shouted as Rick moved over to the rest of the group. “If I get loose your gonna pay, you hear me pig.”

“Your voice carries.” Rick shouted back not wanting to have to deal with this with everything else that’s going on.

“You’re not Atlanta PD.” Morales commented as Rick reached them. “Were you from?”

“Up the road a ways.” Rick told them.

“Well, officer friendly from up the road a ways, welcome to the big city.” Morales laughed with a smile.

**********************************************************************************

While the group were all looking over the side of the building trying to work out how many walkers were down there and how they could get out Rick took the chance to go and talk to his brother-in-law.

“Officer friendly.” Merle smirked as Rick kneeled down in front of him.

“Merle Dixon.” Rick said. “I didn’t think I would ever see you again.”

“Neither did I.” Merle smirked trying to decide whether he was going to tell Rick the truth. “Was told you were dead.”

“Well I’m not.” Rick pointed out obviously. “Daryl and Carl, you know what happened to them?” Rick asked terrified about what the answer could be. 

“No.” Merle lied. “Aint heard from my baby brother since you got shot.”

Rick sighed trying to make himself see the upside that just because Merle hadn’t heard from them doesn’t mean there dead.

“Got any single?” Rick asked as he walked up to the rest of the group deciding the best thing to do right now was to focus on getting out of this building.

“Like Dixon’s brain, weak.” T-dog told him throwing a smirk over Rick’s shoulder at Merle. 

“Keep trying.” Morales told him.

“What the point?” Andrea asked. “There’s nothing they can do.”

“Got some people outside the city.” Morales explained to Rick. “Refugee centre is a pipe dream.” 

“Then she’s right.” Rick said whatever optimism he had leaving when all of this started. “We’re on our own, it’s up to us to find a way out.”

“Good luck with that.” Merle shouted not wanting to be left out of everything. “These streets ain’t safe, not here from what I hear. Ain’t that right sugar ties? Hey, honey bunch, what say you get me out of these dame cuffs, and we can go off somewhere and bump some uglies?” 

“I’d rather.” Andre said throwing Merle a disgusted look.

“The streets ain’t safe.” Morales said ignoring Merle.

“What about under the streets?” Rick asked looking away from his brother-in-law and to the group of people, needing to find his way of this roof.

“Oh man.” Morales said not having thought about that. “Hey, Glenn check the alley. You see any manhole covers?”

Glenn ran over to the side of the roof looking down at the ally way below sighing when he only sees walkers. “NO, must be all out on the street where the geeks are.”

“Maybe not.” Jacqui shock her head. “Old building like this built in the ‘20s..” She started before stopping to think for a moment. “Big structures like this often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case flooding down in the subbasements.”

“How do you know that?” Glenn asked a little confused.

“It’s my job.” Jacqui shrugged. “Was. I worked in the city zoning office.”

The group all made their way down to the basement leaving Merle handcuffed to the roof with T-dog.  
The group all smiled a little when they saw that there was in fact a sewer entrance.

“This is it? Are you sure? Morales asked as he looked down the entrance.

“I scoped this whole place out the other times I was here and this is the only thing I found that goes down.” Glenn told them. “But I never went down, who would want to.” Everybody looked at Glenn all knowing he had a good point. “Oh great.”

“We’ll be right behind you.” Andrea promised.

“No. you won’t.” Glenn shock his head. “Not you.”

“Why not me?” Andrea asked starting to get a little mad. “Think I can’t?”

“I wasn’t...” Glenn tried to defend himself but wasn’t sure what to say.

“Speak your mind.” Rick said after a couple minutes of Glenn just standing there not sure what to say.

“Look, until now I always came here alone. In and out, grab a few things, no problem. The first time I bring a group everything goes to hell. No offence. If you want me to go down in this gnarly hold. Fine… but only if we do it my way.” Glenn told them and the group couldn’t help but feel like he was a little right all of them nodding for him to continue. “It’s tight down there, if somthing down there I’ll need to get up quickly, I can’t do that if other people are on top. I’ll get killed. I’ll take one person.” Glenn told them and as Andrea and Rick went to start talking he said. “Not you. Rick you have a gun and I’ve seen you shot. I’d feel better if you were out in the store covering our Ass.” Rick nodded knowing Glenn was right. “And you.” Glenn pointed to Andrea. “And you’ve got the only other gun so you go with him.”

Both Rick and Andrea nodded agreeing with Glenn. “You be my wingman.” Glenn looked over at Morales. “And Jacqui stays here. Something happens, yell down to us get us back here in a hurry.”

“Okay.” Jacqui nodded.

“Everyone know there jobs?” Rick asked them and when they all nodded everyone to get to work on their jobs. Glenn leading down the ladder followed by Morals before the others leave.

**********************************************************************************

“Sorry for the gun in your face.” Andrea told Rick as the two of them kept a close eye on the zombies outside. 

“People do things when they’re afraid.” Rick shrugged his shoulders having dealt with quit a few afraid people while he was at work.

“Not that it was entirely unjustified. You did get us into this.” Andrea pointed out still not totally liking or trusting Rick.

“If I get us out of this.” Rick started taking his eyes briefly off the zombies. “Would that make up for it?”

“No.” Andrea shock her head. “But it would be a start.”

“Next time though, take the safety off.” Rick pointed down to her gun. “It won’t shot otherwise.”

“Oh.” Andrea muttered looking down at the gun.

“Is that your gun?” Rick asked her.

“It was a gift. Why?” Andrea hands over the gun letting Rick look at it.

“Little red dot means it’s ready to fire.” Rick shows her what he men before handing it back to her. 

“You may have an occasion to use it.” Rick pointed out.

“Good to know.”

**********

Rick walks up to Andrea after spotting her looking at some jewellery. 

“See something you like?” Rick asked making Andrea look up from the mermaid necklace in her hands.

“Not me.” Andrea shock her head. “My sister. She’s such a little kid in some ways. Unicorns, dragons. She’s into all that stuff. But mermaids they rule. She loves mermaids.”

“Why not take it?” Rick asked her.

“There’s a cop staring at me.” Andrea pointed out making Rick chuckle a little. “Would it be considered looting?”

“I don’t think those rules apply anymore. Do you?” Rick said but before Andrea could answer the glass shatters and walkers make their way into the shop.

Rick and Andrea both move back guns up willing to shot as Glenn and Morales walk in. 

“What did you find down there?” Rick asked a little desperate.

“Not a way out.” Morales shock his head making Rick sigh. 

“We need to find a way out. Soon.” Andrea pointed out as more walkers made their way through the broken glass.

The group all run up to the roof knowing it was the safest place for them right now, and probably the only place they could find a way out from.

**********

Rick looks over the side of the roof spotting a construction site not that far away.

“That construction site. Those trucks. They always have keys on hand.” Rick said as he turned back to look at the rest of the group.

“You’ll never make it past the walkers.” Morales pointed out.

“You got me out of the tank.” Rick looked over at Glenn.

“Yeah.” Glenn nodded. “But they were feeding then, they were distracted.”

“Can we distract them again?” Rick asked needing to make it to that van and out of this building so he could find his family.

“Right. You’re onto something.” Rick looked over at Rick. “A division, like on ‘Hogan’s heroes’?”

“There drawn to sound right?” Rick asked just needing make sure.

“Right.” Glenn nodded. “Like dogs. They hear sound they come.”

“What else?” Rick asked knowing these people had come into contact with more zombies then he had and that they knew more about them then he did. 

“Aside from hear you? They see you, smell you and if they catch you they eat you.” Morales told Rick.

“They can tell us by smell?” 

“Can’t you.” Glenn asked.

“They smell like dead, we don’t. It’s pretty distinct.” Andrea pointed out.

**********************************************************************************

Rick groans as he helps Glenn and Andrea drag one of the dead walkers into the store. Once they get the walker in Rick leans down grabbing the wallet out of the walker’s pocket. “Wayne Dunlap. Georgia licence. Born in 1979, he had $28 in his pocket when he died.” Rick sighed hating that this is what was happening to people. “He used to be just like us. Worrying about bills or rent. When I find my family I’m going to tell them about Wayne.”

“One more thing.” Glenn said after he grabbed the wallet from Rick. “He was an organ donor.”

The group all take a moment to think about this man that the walker used to be in silence before Rick starts to hack the walker’s stomach.

“Madre de Dios!” Morales said as the walkers’ guts spill out of the whole in his chest.

“Oh.” Andrea said in disgust as she and Glenn both look away.

“Keep chopping.” Rick told Morales as he handed him the axe.

“I’m so gonna hurl.” Glenn told them after he had made the mistake of looking back at the walker.

“Later.” Rick tells him not having time for anyone to be throwing up.

“Everyone.” Rick starts once Morales had finished. “Get gloves? Don’t get any on your skin or in your eyes.”

Rick and Glenn stand off to the side their arms stretched out as Jacquie, Andrea and Morales grab chunks of walker clothes and starts splattering it over the jackets they were wearing.

“Oh god!” Glenn said looking down at himself in disgust. “Oh jeez. Oh, this is bad. This is really bad.”

“Thank about something else. Puppies and kittens. Dead puppies and kittens.” Rick said with a small smirk before Glenn leans over puking.

“That is just evil. What is wrong with you?” Andrea asked looking over at Rick.

“Next time let the cracker beat his ass.” Jacqui told them.

“I’m sorry.” Rick said with a small laugh.

“You suck.” Glenn told Rick as he finally stood back up straight.

“Do we smell liked them?” Rick asked.

“Oh yeah.” Andrea nodded before turning to Glenn. “Take this. Just in case.” She hands the gun over to him.

“If we make it back, be ready.” Rick tells them.

“What about Dixon?” T-Dog asked before Rick tossed him the handcuff key. 

“Give me the axe.” Rick said to Morales before looking down at the walkers. “We need…… we need more guts.”

**********************************************************************************

“When’s dad going to be back?” Carl looked up at Lori. 

“Soon.” Lori promised him with a smile hoping she was right but a little worried this would be another one of Daryl’s long hunting trips. 

“I don’t like it when he goes out hunting.” Carl admitted to her.

“I know.” Lori placed her hand on Carls shoulder trying to bring him some comfort. “But he had to, he has to get food for everyone.”

“I know.” Carl sighed as he looked down at his hands. “I just don’t like it.”

“I know you don’t.” Lori nodded understanding where the kid was coming from, so much had changed with the world recently and it was hard enough on the adults, let alone this kids. And Carl had already lost so much she knew he would be scared to loss anymore. “Your dad is going to be fine.” She promised him. “He’s going to be careful and he’s going to come back with some nice food for us.”

Carl just nodded before going back to playing with the cards in his hands.

Lori sighed as she watched the ten year old hoping she was right and that Daryl would be safe and come back in one piece. 

**********

“Boy, that hose ain’t long for this world.” Dale commented as he and Jim where trying to fix his RV.

“No sir.” Jim agreed.

“It’s late.” Amy pointed out from her set near the camp fire. “They should have been back by now.”

“Worrying won’t make it better.” Dale pointed out.

“Attaboy.” Shane said to Carl with a small proud smile on his face as he tried to teach Carlo how to tie knots while Lori watched them.

“Yeah?” Carl asked briefly looking up from the rope.

Shane nodded before saying. “And three, two, one… pull it.”

Carlo laughed as he pulled the rope the knot coming apart.

“Start it over.” Shane told him. “Make your ‘p’ the other way wound your fingers.”

Before the two of them can get any further the radio makes a noise and T-dogs voice can be heard.

“Hello base camp.” T-dog said. “Can anybody hear me? Base camp, this is T-dog anybody hear me?”

Dale takes the radio bringing it up to his face. “Hello? Hello? Receptions bad on this end. Repeat.”

“Shane is that you?” T-dog asked barley able to hear what was being said. 

“Is that them?” Lori asked as she walked a little closer to the radio.

“Were in some deep shit.” T-dog said not sure whether they could hear him. “Were trapped in the department store.”

“He said there trapped?” Shane asked sanding up.

“There are geeks all over the place. Hundreds of ‘em. We’re surrounded.” T-dog informed them before the radio goes silent.

“T-dog.” Dale said worriedly. “Repeat that last. Repeat.”

“He said the department store.” Lori pointed out.

“I heard it too.” Dale nodded turning round to face the rest of the group.

“Shane?” Lori asked looking over at her husband. 

“No way.” Shane shock his head. “We do not go after them. We do not rick the rest of the group. Y’all know that.”

“So were just gonna leave her there?” Amy asked finding it hard to believe what she was hearing.

Shane turned round to face Amy. “Look, I know this isn’t easy.”

“She volunteered to go to help the rest of us.” Amy pointed out not getting how they could just leave everyone.

“I know.” Shane nodded trying to look sympathetic but not doing it very well. “But she knew the ricks. See if shed trapped she’s gone. So we just have to deal with that. There’s nothing we can do.”

“She’s my sister you son of a bitch.” Amy shouts at Shane before walking off. 

Lori looks over at her husband quickly before following Amy shouting her name.

“Come on.” Shane said placing his hand on Carls head. “It’s all right buddy.”

**********************************************************************************

Rick and Glenn made their way outside and past a couple walkers both of them sighing in relief when the walkers on briefly look at them.  
Crawling under a bus the two of them come up on the other side to the hug horde of walkers waiting for them. The two of them shuffle through the horde trying their best to act and sound like a walker.

“It’s gonna work. I can’t believe it.” Glenn whispered.

“Don’t draw attention.” Rick whispered back as rain started to fall on them. 

Rick and Glenn continued to walk trying to stay calm and the rain got heavier. They both noticed that as it rained the guts started to wash of and as they walked past walkers, they started to pay more attention to the two of them as if they couldn’t work out whether they were dead or alive.

“The smells washing of isn’t it? “ Glenn asked starting to panic.

“Not it’s not.” Rick started looking down a little before adding. “Well maybe.”

As the two of them continue to slowly make their way through to crowed of walkers more of the guts start to wash off and the walkers start to realise that there alive. 

One of the walkers charges for Rick making the man bring out his axe and crush the walkers scull with it.

“Run.” Rick told Glenn before the two of them took off running in the direction on the construction site.

As they run towards the site a walker gets a little too close for comforte and Rick wakes it in the head with his axe at the same time as Glenn brings his crowbar down on the head of another walker.

By the time the two of them reach the construction site Rick had been forced to kill four more walkers while Glenn had been forced to kill three.

The two of them throw their weapons over the fence and pull themselves up and over running towards the truck.

Glenn finds the keys to the tuck while Rick used Merles pistol to kill some walkers that had been stuck in the site. When Glenn finally finds the keys his chucks them to Rick before the two of them run to the side of the ruck to get in just as the walkers are able to push the fence over and start walking in.

“Go, go, go.” Glenn shouts at Rick as one of the walkers starts banging on his window.

**********

“There leaving us.” Andrea commented as the tuck speeds in the other direction.

“What?” Merle shouted from where he was looked up on the other side of the roof to the group. “What?”

“Where are they going?” Morales asked.

“No, no.” T-dog shouted after then. “Come back.”

**********

“Mo my god, oh my god,” Glenn panics as he watched the walkers outside the window. “There all over the place.”

“You need to draw them away.” Rick tells him keeping his attention on the road. “Those roll ups at the store front we need that area clear. Radio your friends, tell them to meat us down there.”

“And I’m drawing the geeks away how? I… I missed that part.” 

“Noise.”

***********

Rick pulls the van up beside a bright red sports car and the two them get out.  
Rick smashes the window of the car and starts the alarm and opens the car getting in to hotwire it for Glenn. 

Glenn smiled at Rick before getting into the car and driving off, Rick following slightly slower behind.

**********************************************************************************

“Those roll-up doors at the front of the store facing the street.” Glenn tells the group over radio. “Meet us there and be ready.”

“Come on lets go.” Morals shouts as they head over to the stairs. 

“Hey.” Merle shouted seeing them all leaving. “You can’t leave me hear man. I’m not fooling! Morales! Hey, man don’t do this.”

“Come on.” Angelica said before she and Jacqui leave the roof.

“Hey, that’s my gun. You can’t leave me. Don’t leave me here, you guys.” Merle said getting a little desperate. 

“Morales come on.” Angelica shouted up the stairs.

“I’m coming!” Morales shouted back. “We’ve gotta go.”

Morales and Andrea leave the roof but T-dog hesitates not able to leave someone to die no matter how horrible they are.

“Hey T-dog. No, man. You can’t leave me, man. You can’t leave me here like this. You can’t man. It’s not humans. Come on don’t do this.” Merle begged his desperation clear.

T-dog looks between Merle and the door before groaning walking towards Merle. 

“Come on. That’s it” yes.” Merle said as T-dog walked closer. But before T-dog could get there he trips the key falling out of his hand and down a drain. “Son of a bitch. You did that on purpose.”

“It was an accident.” T-dog assured him as he pushed himself up.

“Don’t leave me.” Merle told him. 

“I’m sorry. Man, I’m sorry.” T-dog said knowing there was nothing he could do for the man now.

“Don’t leave me.” Merle shouted as T-dog walked closer to the door. 

“Sorry.” T-dog said again before running away.

“Dame you all” Don’t leave me, ma!” Merle continued to shout. “Don’t leave me… don’t leave me.”

As T-dog leaves he chains the doors shut in an effort to help Merle even a little.

“You’re gonna rot in hell.” T-dog hears Merle shout as he runs down the stairs shouting. “I’m coming.”

“What is that?” Andrea asked as the group walked into the loading dock.

***********

Glenn drives down the road in front of the store shouting. “Come on!” Over and over again trying to lure as many walkers as he can away.

**********

T-dog makes it down to the rest of the group just as walkers break through the second bit of glass and into the store.

Thanks to Glenn Rick is able to pull the van up in from of the store and get everyone in before the walkers reach them.

“I dropped the dame key.” T-dog tells them as they all drive away when everyone else seems to notice that Merle isn’t with them.

“Where’s Glenn.” Andrea looks over at Rick but before Rick gets the chance to answer Glenn drives past the truck in the sports car cheering as he speeds well ahead of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this story is going to start changing a lot more from the show in the next couple chapter but I am going to try and keep the main story line in, changing thins like timing and I think I might even change some of the show's story lines to be more like they are in the comments. I'm not sure at the moments I just know that in the next couple chapters things will start to change a bit more.  
> and I would love to know if anyone thinks I should change some of the shows storylines or if you think any need to be changed for this story to work.
> 
> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed any that you spotted can you please let me know so that I can fix them.


	3. Tell it to the frogs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm planning on updating this story once a week now as in the last few days I've gotten really into writing it and I'm currently writing chapter six.  
> my plan is for this story to be between six and eight chapter longs and cover the first season, and then start a new story that covers the second season and make it a series of stores. I have a ruffe plan for how I want the story to go if I keep as close to cannon up till season three right now. and I was wondering if people would like the story to go past season one.  
> This chapter is quite close to canon but it will start to differ more next chapter.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter.

“Best we not dwell on it.” Morales said as they made their way back to the camp. “Merle got left behind. Nobody’s gonna be sad.”

“At least someone’s having a good day.” Morales laughed a little when they heard more of Glenn’s excited shouts from the car in front.

**********************************************************************************

“Baby, the more you fidget the longer it takes.” Lori told Carl as she tried to cut his hair.

“I’m trying.” Carl told her.

“Well try harder.” Lori told him not sure she could take sitting here cutting his hair for that much longer. 

“If you think this is bad, wait till you start shaving. That stings.” Shane told him as he sat down next to Lori having overheard the conversation. “That days comes, you’ll be wishing for one of your aunt’s haircuts.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Carl told them making Shane chuckle. 

“I’ll tell you what…” Shane started knowing that his wife was losing her patouns. “You just get through this with some Manley dignity and tomorrow I’ll teach you something special. I’ll teach you how to catch frogs.”

“I know how to catch frogs.” Carl argued.

“I said frogs, plural. And it is an art my friend.” Shane said being a little dramatic. “It is not to be taken lightly. There are ways and means. Few people know about it. I’m willing to share my secrets. 

“Why do we need frogs, plural?” Carl asked him looking unsure of what else to say.

“You ever eat frog’s legs?” Shane asked him making Carl screw his face up in disgust. 

“Ewww!”

“No yum.” Shane told him with a small laugh.

“No, he’s right. Ewww.” Lori laughed.

“When you get down to the last can of beans, you’re gonna be loving those frogs legs lady.” Shane told his wife. “I can see it now ‘Shane do you think I can have a second helping, please? Just one?”

Lori laughed with a fond look in her husband’s direction before saying. “Yeah, I doubt that.” 

Shane chuckled before looking back over at Carl and saying. “Don’t listen to her, man, you and me well be heroes. We’ll feed these folks Cajun-style Kermit legs.”

“I would rather have miss piggy.” Lori laughed before realising what she had said. “Yes, that come out wrong.” Making Shane laugh again.

“Heroes, son, spoken in song and legend. You and me, Shane and Carl.” Shane told his nephew making the both of them laugh before they were interrupted by the sound of Glenn’s car alarm.

Shane quickly stood up walking over to a group of people who were trying to work out what the noise was. “Talk to me Dale?”

“I can’t tell what it is yet.” Dale told them looking through his binoculars.

“Is it them?” Amy asked as she joined the group. “Are they back?”

“I’ll be dammed.” Dale said as he looked down at the crowed of people. 

“What is it?” Amy asked him.

“A stolen car in my guess.” Dale told her and the car stopped and Glenn got out. “Holy crap. Turn that damn thing off.”

“I don’t know how.” Glenn admitted.

“Pop the hood.” Shane told him walking closer to the car. “Pop the damn hood, please.”

“What? Okay.” Glenn nodded as he went to do just that.” Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!”

Glenn finally pops the hood and Shane disconnects the battery making the noise stop.

“She’s okay.” Glenn assured Amy after seeing her worried face. “She’s okay.”

“Is she coming back?” Amy asked.

“Yes” Yeah, fine. Everybody is, well Merle not so much.” Glenn told them.

“Are you crazy?” Shane asked as he stood away from the car. “Driving this wailing basted up here? Are you trying to draw every walker for miles?”

“I think were okay.” Dale said trying to keep the peace.

“Yu call being stupid okay?” Shane asked not ready to let this go.

“Well, the alarm was echoing all over the hills. Hard to pin point a source. I’m not arguing. I’m saying, it wouldn’t hurt you to think things through a little more carefully next time would it?” Dale told Glenn.

“Sorry.” Glenn said looking a little sheepish before adding. “Got a cool car.” As the tuck finally arrived. 

Andrea was the first one to get out of the truck running straight over to hug her sister. “You scared the shit out of me.” Amy informed Andrea.  
The next out was Morals who walked straight over to his wife and kids pulling them in all for a hug.

As Carl watches what was left of his smile vanished wishing that we him finally reuniting with his dad but knowing that wasn’t going to happen. 

“You’re a sight for sore eyes.” Dale told Morals as the two of them hugged. “I thought we hot lost you folks for sure.”

“How’d y’all get out of there anyway?” Shane asked also having fault the group was done for.

“New guy.” Glenn told him. “He got us out.”

“New guy?” Shane asked a little confused and shocked, they hadn’t seen anyone outside of their group in weeks.

“Yeah, crazy Vato just got into town.” Morales laughed before turning round to face the truck. “Hey, helicopter boy! Come say hello.”

Rick slowly steps out of the truck as Morales said. “The guys a cop like you.” Rick walked around the side of the truck spotting Shane first before he spots Carl and Lori standing away from the group.  
Carl lifted his head just in time to spot Rick walk out from behind the tuck his frown turning into a shocked smiled as Rick muttered. “Oh my god.” Never more relived to see his family.

“Dad!” Carl shouted as he started running towards Rick. “Dad!”

Rick walks forward a lot slower shock clear on his face as he bends down and takes Carl into his arms crying. “Carl.”  
Rick spots his sister standing a little back and picked Carl up walking over to her and pulling her into a hug.

Shane watches from his spot by the car surprised to see Rick but not really sure how he felt about his best friend being back he fakes a smile as Rick smiles at him over Loris shoulder.

**********

Rick stood around hugging his son for what felt like forever before he pulled back enough to look Carl in the face.

“Your dad?” Rick asked once he had made sure Carl looked okay a little worried about the answer.

“Hunting.” Carl told him.

Rick looked up at Lori just needing to make sure and when she nodded he sighed in relief.

“He’ll be back today or tomorrow.” Carl assured him making Rick sigh in relief again. “I thought you were dad.” 

“I’m not.” Rick shock his head leading Carl over to sit down on the closest bench. 

***************

“Disoriented.” Rick started as he sat with the rest of the group round the camp fire Carl right next to him. “I guess that came closest. Disoriented. Fear, confusion... All those things but, disoriented comes closest.”

“Words can be meagre things. Sometime they fall short.” Dale nodded from his place on the other side of the camp fire.

“I felt like I had been ripped out of my life and put somewhere else. For a while I thought I was tapped in some coma dream, something I might never wake up from.”

“You said he dead.” Carl said looking over at Lori and Shane. “You and dad said he was dead.”

“They had every reason to believe I was.” Rick told him not wanting Carl to be mad at what little family they all had left.

“When things started to get really bad. They told Daryl and I and the hospital that they were going to medevac you and the other patients to Atlanta and it never happened.” Lori explained.

“Well I’m not surprised after Atlanta fell.” Rick pointed out Lori saying, “Yeah.” In agreement before Rick added. “And from what I saw of the hospital it was overrun.”

“Yeah.” Shane nodded looking over at his best friend, the man he had seen as like a brother since they were about ten. “Looks don’t devise. I barely got them out, you know?”

“Yeah.” Rick nodded just being able to imagine hoe stubborn his husband would have been. “I can’t tell you how great full I am to you, for helping them get here safety. I can’t begin to express it.”

“There goes those words falling short.” Dale pointed out as Ed walked up to his fire a log in hand.

“Hey Ed.” Shane said when the man placed the log on the fire. “Want to rethink that log?”

“It’s cold man.” Ed told him.

“The cold don’t change the rules, does it? Keep our fires low, just embers so was cant ben seen from a distance, right?” Shane pointed out not sounding happy in the slightest.

“I said its cold.” Ed replied also not sounding happy. “You should mind your own business for once.”

Shane pushed himself up walking over to the other fire where Ed and his family were sitting. “Hey Ed you sure you want to have this convocation, man?”

Ed turned to face Carol before saying. “Go on. Pull the dame thing out. Go on!”

Carol leaned forward taking the log out of the fire as their daughter watched.

“Christ.” Shane said as he stomped what was left of the flames out. “Hey Carol,” Shane turned to face the women and her daughter before continuing. “Sophia, how are y’all this evening?”

“Fine, were just fine.” Carol nodded not sounding too sure.

“Okay.” Shane nodded.

“I’m sorry about the fire.” Carol told him feeling horrible about her husband’s actions.

“No, no. no apology needed, y’all have a good night okay.” Shane told her always having felt a little bad for the women Shane tried his best to always be nice to her.

“Thank you.” Carlo smiled at him briefly before looking back down at the floor.

“Thanks for the cooperation.” Shane said before going back to join the group.

“Had any thought on how to tell Daryl about Merle. He won’t be happy to hear his brother was left behind.” Dale pointed out everyone momentarily forgetting that Rick was Daryl’s husband.

“I’ll tell him I dropped the key.” T-dog told everyone.

“I’ll do it.” Rick said making everyone look towards him. “Merles my brother-in-law and I cuffed him to a roof.”

“How comes you didn’t mention you knew him on that roof?” Andrea asked looking over at Rick.

“I barley know Merle.” Rick started looking down at Carls head. “I wanted to see what he would do first, and when I finally got the chance to talk to him he told me he had no clue where Daryl and Carl were. I just didn’t think about bringing it up after that.”

“How will Daryl react?” Dale asked no one really knowing anything about the man. 

“Don’t know.” Rick admitted never having known hoe Daryl was going to react when it came to his family. 

“We could lie.” Amy piped up.

“Or tell the truth. Dixon was out of control. We did what we needed. He would have gotten us all killed otherwise.” Andrea said.

“And that’s what we tell Daryl then.” Dale nodded knowing the truth was always the best way to go.

“I stopped long enough to chain the door.” T-dog informed everyone. “Might have given him enough time to escape.”

“Let’s hope.” Rick sighed knowing telling Daryl would go down better if there was a stronger chance that Merle was alive.

**********************************************************************************

“I found you didn’t I?” Rick asked as he sat down on the floor next to Carl’s bed.

“I love you dad.” 

“I love you to Carl.”

Rick kissed Carl on the forehead before walking over to were Lori was sitting on the bed and sitting down next to her.

“I found all of you.” Rick looked over at his little sister.

“Yeah.” Lori nodded a small smile on her face. “Daryl is going to be really shocked when he sees you tomorrow.”

“I always knew I would find you guys.” Rick informed her.

“You’re getting a little bit cocky there.” Lori joked.

“No No. I knew.” Rick shock his head. “I went back home and all the photo albums were gone. Daryl wouldn’t have taken them, you would have.”

Lori chuckled a little as she leaned down and grabbed one of the albums that were hidden under the bed.

“I told you so.”

“Now you’re getting a lot cocky.” Lori told him. “How did you know it was me who took them?”

“Because Daryl has always said that the three pictures in his wallet and the ones in our room where enough and that we didn’t need a hundred photo albums taking up all our space.” Rick joked in his best Daryl voice. “You on the other hand keep photos for everything.”

“I thought you were dead.” Lori sighed placing the photo album on the bed next to her. “We all did. Thought we had lost you.”

“Maybe I was meant to get a second chance.” Rick shrugged his shoulders. “Not many people get that.”

“I have this.” Lori said as she pulled her necklace off.

“I wondered were that went.” Rick laughed when Lori handed him his wedding ring. 

“Daryl normally keeps it on him, but he gives it to me when he goes hunting.” Lori explained knowing Rick would be a little confused as to why she had it.

Rick put his ring back on his finger smiling down at it until Lori stood up. “I’m gonna go to bed.” She told him. “See you in the morning.”

“See you in the morning.” Rick nodded as Lori walked out the tent before he laid back pulling a picture out of his pocket of him, Daryl and Carl at his son’s last birthday party. Wishing the next say would come quickly so that his family could be whole again.

**********************************************************************************

When Rick woke up the next morning it was to an empty tent and quickly pushes himself up and out of the tent letting out a relived sigh as his worry disappeared when he spotted Carl sitting next to Lori not that far from the tent.

Rick walked straight over to the two of them sitting down next to his son.

“Morning.” Carl smiled as she walked up to them Rick’s clothes in her arms.

“Moring.” Rick replied with a smile.

“They’re still a little damp.” Carol said lifting the clothes up so that Rick could see them. “The sun’ll have ‘em dry in no time.”

“You washed my clothes?” Rick asked a little shocked.

“Well, the best I could.” Carlo nodded. “Scrubbing washboard ain’t half as good as my old Maytag back home.”

“That’s very kind of you.” Rick smiled gratefully as he took the clothes from her. “Thank you.” Rick stands back up a minute later walking over to Glenn who is visibly upset that the car is being torn apart for spear parts.

“Look at ‘em.” Glenn said as soon as Rick was close enough to hear. “Vultures. Yeah, go on, strip it clean.”

Dale looks up from the engine and over to Glenn. “Generators need every drop of fuel they can get. Got no power without it. Sorry Glenn.” 

“Thought I’d get to drive it at least a few more times.” Glenn told them sadly looking away from the car like it was too painful to see it being torn apart.

“Maybe we’ll steal another one someday.” Rick tells him before walking back over to Carl and Lori.

“Morning.” Lori smiled up at her brother not having had the chance to last time he sat down.

“Hey.” Rick smiled taking the seat next to Carl again.

“You sleep okay?” Lori asked knowing that the beds in the tents weren’t always the comfiest.

Rick nodded. “Better then in a long time.”

“Well when this one woke up.” Lori started placing her hand on top of Carls head. “We didn’t want to wake you, you looked so peaceful.” 

Carl looks over at his dad clearing wanting to go off to play with his friends and Rick nodes at him with a small smile as he watched his son run off, glad that Carl hadn’t lost his inasonce in a world like this.

“I’ve been thinking about Merle.” Rick admitted feeling like crap that he had just left his brother-in-law handcuffed to a roof in a city full of walkers. 

“Really?” Lori asked shocked as Shane drove up to the camp. “Are you asking for my opinion or telling me?” Lori asked already knowing that Rick wanted to go and get Merle.

“Water’s here.” Shane shouted as he got out the car. “Just remember to boil it first.”

“Asking.” Rick said sounding a little unsure.

“Well I think it’s crazy.” Lori started but before she could finish screams were heard.

“Dad.” Carl screamed making both Rick and Lori shot up heading in the direction of the shouts a lot of the group following behind.

“It’s over there.” A man who Rick hadn’t had the chance to ask name told them.

“Dad.” Carl said again running straight over to Rick who pulled him in for a quick hug as some of the other kids all ran to their parents.

“You’re okay.” Rick promised Carl before pushing him behind him and over to Lori walking forward towards a walker eating a dear carcass with Shane, Glenn, Jim and Morales who start beating it with the various objects they had been able to grab on their run down before Dale comes up with an axe cutting its head off.

“It’s the first one we’ve had up here.” Dale said looking shocked. “They never come up the mountain.”

“Well they’re running out of food in the city.” Jim pointed out. “That’s what.”

Rick’s head snaps straight up when they hear a twig snap the expression on his face quickly turning to shock when he recognises the voice.

“Son of a bitch.” Daryl shouted as he come out of the forest not having noticed his husband yet to focused on the dead deer. “That my deer! Look at it. All gnawed on by this…” Daryl started kicking the walkers head. “Filthy, disease-bearing motherless proxy basted.”

“Clam down, son.” Dale said finally making Daryl look up.

“Fuck.” Daryl said taking a step back when he finally spotted Rick. “What the fuck.” Daryl wasn’t quite able to believe what he was seeing.

Rick just stands there silently not sure what he could say but before he got the chance to say anything the walkers head starting moving and Daryl looked back down at it pulling his crossbow up.

“Come on people. What the hell?” Daryl asked as he shot the thing in the head. “It’s gotta be the brain. Don’t y’all know nothing?”

Most of the group all start making their way into camp as Daryl stood there staring down at the deer.

“Fuck.” Daryl said again looking up at Rick when the rest of the group had left. “You really fucking here man?” Daryl asked still not believing his eyes.

“I’m really fucking here.” Rick nodded slowly making his way towards his husband.

“You’re dead.” Daryl pointed out.

“Not dead.” Rick shock his head as he finally got close enough to reach up and place a hand on Daryl’s shoulder. “Not dead.”

“Fuck.” Daryl said one last time before Rick pulled him in for a hug. 

“I’m alive.” Rick assured Daryl again as he felt his husband burry his head in his shoulder.

**********************************************************************************

Rick and Daryl stayed in the woods for a while just enjoying being in each other’s presence for the first time in what felt like forever.

“Merle!” Daryl shouted as he and Rick walked back up to camp, Rick not having had the chance to tell Daryl what happened to his brother yet. “Merle! Get our ugly ass out here!”

“Daryl, just slow down a bit. We need to talk to you.” Shane told Daryl hoping to keep his brother-in-law clam but doing the exact opposite.

“About what?” Daryl asked not looking over at Shane. 

“I think you should go with Rick.” Shane told him, because as much even though there was a small part of him that wanted to be the one to tell Daryl about his brother and see the look on the man’s face he knew it wouldn’t go down well and the last thing the group needed right now was a scene.

Daryl looked back at his husband straight away knowing the look on Rick’s face. “He’s dead?”

“Were not sure.” Shane told him.

“Either he is or ain’t!” Daryl said turning back round to face Shane angrily.

“We should talk.” Rick said calmly walking a little closer to Rick.

Daryl was about to shout and demand that someone told him what the hell was going on right now but before he could he spotted Carl tucked into Lori’s side burring his head away and knew he needed to listen to his husband and talk about this a little more calmly. So with a nod Daryl followed Rick away from the group and down to the tents.

“What the hell’s going on?” Daryl asked as soon as they were in the tent.

Rick sighed as he sat down on the edge of the bed. “When Glenn found me in Atlanta he took me back to his group.” Rick started not looking up at his husband but down at the floor. “Not long after I got there Merle started to cause trouble. I handcuffed him to the roof.”

“You did what?” Daryl asked not really sure how he felt about that. He knew his brother could be difficult, of course he did.

“I handcuffed him to a pipe of the roof.” Rick told him finally looking up. “I was always planning on bringing him back but I wasn’t there when everyone left, T-dog was going to let your brother free but in his panic to get out of there he dropped the key. Had to leave.” Rick explained. “He told me he didn’t know what happened to you.”

“He did what?” Daryl asked starting to get a little angry at his brother.

“I asked him if he knew what happened to you and he said he didn’t know.” Rick explained further as Daryl sat down next to him. “T-dog said he chained the door shut. He could still be alive.”

“We have to get him.” Daryl told him after a couple minutes of silence. 

“What?” Rick asked only a little shocked.

“Can’t leave him there Rick, he’s my brother.” Daryl said. “I have to go back.”

“So do I.” Rick nodded having expected that his husband would at least want to try and help Merle. “There’s a bag of guns in the city, I dropped them when I got surrounded. We need them.”

“Bag of guns?” Daryl asked looking round at Rick.

“I took them from the precinct when I woke up.” Rick told him. “There’s a radio in the bag.”

“Have a radio here.” Daryl pointed out calming down a little.

“When I woke up this man and his son saved, they said they were going to make their way to Atlanta, not yet but they would. I need to let them know it’s not safe.” Rick explained. “We need to go back to the city.”

“Yeah.” Daryl nodded knowing that this was going to cause some problems. “What about Carl?”

“He’ll be fine.” Rick pointed out also a little worried about his son but also knowing that he had people to take care of him. “Lori will look after him. We need the guns.”

Daryl just made a noise of agreement before the two of them descended into a comfortable silence.

“What happened for Merle to be with you?” Rick asked knowing that Daryl had never been all that okay with his brother being around Carl.

“He drove me home when you were shot.” Daryl shrugged. “Wouldn’t leave after that.” 

“How longs it been since I was shot?” Rick asked not having worked up the courage to ask any yet.

“Two-three months.” Daryl looked down at his hands. “Bout anyway.”

“How long you been here?” 

“Left about two weeks after you were shot.” Daryl told him. “When Shane told us you were dead.”

“Shane told you I was dead.” Rick said half as a statement and half as a question.

“Took turns seeing you. Was his turn.” Daryl shrugged finally looking up at Rick. “He had been trying to get us to leave for weeks.”

“We should probably tell the other.” Rick said after a minute of silence, knowing by the look on his husbands face that he was done talking about all this. “See who will come with us.”

“Yeah.” Daryl nodded pushing himself up from the bed.

“I love you.” Rick said as Daryl went to walk out of the tent realising that it had been way to long since he last said that to Daryl’s face.

“Love two.” Daryl said before he walked out of the tent Rick following closely behind.

“Were going back to Atlanta.” Rick informed the group as they walked back into the main part of the camp.

“What why?” Carl asked pushing himself away from Lori and closer to his dad.

“We got get Merle.” Daryl told his son.

“You can’t go back for him.” Shane said making Daryl glare at him. “He’s probably dead already. We can’t risk it.”

“There’s a bag.” Rick started knowing everyone needed another reason to risk their lives again. “I dropped it in the city. Full of guns.”

“How many?” Dale asked from his spot atop the RV.

“Enough for everyone able to have a gun.” Rick told him. “You don’t have to come with us, but we could use all the help we can get.”

*********************************************************************************

“So that’s it huh?” Shane asked as Rick walked past him a little while later, his police uniform on. “You’re just gonna walk off? Just the hell with everyone else?”

“I’m not saying to hell with anybody.” Rick sighed having thought Shane would be last person against this. 

“I don’t get it okay Rick? Could you throw me a one here man? Could you just tell me why?” Shane asked looking a mix between angry and confused. “Why would you risk your life for a douche bag like Merle Dixon?”

“Hey, choose your words more carefully.” Daryl shouted at Shane, because not matter how much Daryl himself thought Merle was a douche bag he wasn’t going to let Shane of all people say it.

“No, I did. Douche bag’s what I meant. Merle Dixon… they guy wouldn’t give you a glass of water if you were dying of thirst.” Shane said.

“What he would and wouldn’t do doesn’t interest me.” Rick told him starting to get a little annoyed. “I can’t let someone die when there’s a chance to safe them. And Merles family, I have to at least try.”

“So you and Daryl?” Lori asked walking up to her brother and husband. “That’s your big plan?”

Rick turns around to look at Glenn making the man say. “Oh come on.”

“You know the way. You’ve been there before.” Rick started explaining. “In and out, no problem. You said so yourself. It’s not fair of me to ask.” Rick felt like crap for asking someone else to put there life in danger for this but they would need the help. “I know that, but I’d feel a lot better with you along. I know he would to.” Rick pointed over to his son.

“That’s just great.” Shane sighed loudly making Rick turn back to look at his friend. “Now you’re gonna rick three men, huh?”

“Four.” T-dog spoke up as he walked closer. Daryl huffed making T-dog look over at him. “You see anyone else trying to help your brother?”

“Why you?” Daryl asked.

“You wouldn’t even begin to understand.” T-dog said leaving it at that.

“That’s four.” Dale nodded.

“IT’s not just four.” Shane sighed again not getting why everyone was putting themselves at risk for this. “You’re putting every single one of us at risk. You know that, Rick. Come on you saw that walker. It was here. It was in the camp. They’re moving out of the cities. They come back, we need every able body we’ve got. We need ‘em here. We need ‘em to protect the camp.”

“We need the guns more.” Rick pointed out. “Were all pretty useless protecting this camp if we don’t have any weapons.”

“What guns?” Shane asked.

“Six shotguns, two high-powered rifles, over a dozen handguns.” Rick listed off. “I cleaned out the cage back at the station.”

“Ammo?” Shane asked.

“700 rounds. Assorted.”

“Dad.” Carl walked up to Rick. “I don’t want you two, to go.”

“Neither do I.” Lori agreed with her nephew. “Screw the guns, Shanes right, and Merle Dixon? He’s not worth one of your lives.”

“I owe a debt to a man and his son.” Rick explained to them. “There the only reason I’m alive right now. I have to warn them that Atlanta isn’t safe. I have to.”

“What’s stopping you?” 

“The walkie-talkie. It’s in the bag of guns.” 

“There are walkies?” Shane asked referring to the stations ones.

Rick just nodded before Andrea spoke up. “So use the CB. What’s wrong with that?”

“The CB’s fine. It’s the walkies that suck to crap. Sate back to the 70s don’t match any other bandwidth. Not even the scanners in our cars.” Shane explained.

“I need that bag okay?” Rick asked Carl.

“Yeah.” Carl nodded reluctantly.

**********

“Rumour is you have bolt cutters.” Rick said as he and T-dog approach Dale and Jim.

“Maybe.” Dale nodded.

“Yeah, we get to that roof, we’ll need to cut that chain and the handcuffs.” T-dog pointed out.

“I never like lending tools. The last time I did... and yes I am talking about you.” Dale said with a pointed look in T-dog’s direction before continuing. “Let’s just say your bag of guns wasn’t the only bag that was dropped. My tools got left behind with Merle.”

“We’ll bring you tools back.” Rick promised. “Think of the bold cutters as an investment.”

“Sounds like more of a gamble.” Dale pointed out before looking over at Jim. “Give it to them. What do I get in return?” 

“What do you want?”

“How about one of those guns you bring back, my pick?”

“Done.” Rick nodded thinking that was more than fair before Dale handed over the bolt cutters.

“Dale.” Jim started a little bit nervous. “Let’ sweeten the deal a bit. Now that cube van of yours…”

“What about it?”

“The RV’s radiator hose is shot. That a problem if we need to get somewhere and wanna get very far. And the hose on that van is just about a perfect match… well enough that I can make it fit.”

“I’ll tell you what… we get back, you can strip that van down to bare metal.” Rick said before Daryl honked the horn starting to get impatient.

“Come on, let’s go.”

“Thank you.” Rick nodded at Dale before he and T-dog made their way over to the van. 

“Hey, Rick.” Shane stopped Rick before he could walk past. “Got any rounds in the python?”

“No.” Rick shock his head having used all his rounds up on the street in Atlanta.

“Last time we were on the gun range. I’m sure I wound up with a few loose rounds of yours.” Shane said making Rick laugh a little.

“You and that bag of yours, like the bottom of an old lady’s purse.” Rick told him.

“I hate that you’re doing this man.” Shane told him as he started looking through his bag. “I think it’s foolish and reckless. But if you’re gonna go, your taking bullets.”

“I’m not sure I’d want to fire a shot in the city.” Rick said. “Not after what happened last time.”

“That’s up to you.” Shane shrugged as he finally found the bullets turning round to face Rick again. “Four men, four rounds. What are the odds huh? Well let’s just hope that… that four is your lucky number.”

“Thank you.” Rick smiled as Shane handed him the bullets.

“All right.” Shane nodded before Rick walked off getting into the van and driving off.

**********************************************************************************

After Rick and Daryl left Carl made his way back to then tent lying down in his bed trying to not let himself worry.

“Hey.” Lori said softly as she walked in. “You know, I bet you dads will be just fine.”

“I’m not worried.” Carl told her looking up from the comic book in his hands. “Are you?”

“A little.” Lori admitted.

“Don’t be.” Carl sat up a little in his bed.

“Why?” Lori asked as she moved to sit down next to her nephew. 

“Think about it.” Carl started a small smile forming on his face. “Everything dad’s been through and he’s still alive, and I know both him and papa will be keep each other safe. Nothings killed them yet.”

“You might just be right.”

**********************************************************************************

“He better be okay.” Daryl said as they pulled up outside the city limits.

“I told you the geeks can’t get him. The only think that’s gonna get through that door is us.” T-dog told him.

“We walk from here.” Glenn told them as he turned the engine off.

The group all got out of the tuck making their way up the deserted railroad.

**********************************************************************************

“Dale.” Lori said as she walked up to the RV about an hour after Rick and the group had left. “Have you seen Carl?”

“Shane took him down to the quarry. There was some mighty bold talk about catching frogs.”

Lori just nodded knowing Carl would be fine down there with Shane.

**********

“I’m not getting anything.” Carl sighed looking up from the water over at Shane.

“Yeah. Being all wily, staying submerged. Little suckers.” Shane nodded from his seat on one of the rocks. “They know something’s up. That’s what’s going on. Just going to have to do this the old-fashioned way, all right, little man, look,” Shane pointed at Carl. “You are the key in all this, okay?” Shane stopped talking giving Carl a look and when Carl nodded he continued. “All I’m gonna do is I’m gonna go after one of them, all right, scare the rest of them off. They’re all gonna scatter.” Shane stood up walking over to Carl. “I’m gonna drive them your way okay?”

“All right.” Carl nodded a hug smile on his face.

“What you need to do is round up every bad boy you see all right? Are you with me?” Shane asked as he got ready.

“Yeah.” Carl nodded again also getting ready. “Yeah?”

“Hell yeah. Give your mean face.” Shane told him, Carl’s smile slipping to show Shane the meanest face he could. “Yes sir. Are you ready?”

“Yeah.”

“Here we go, boy. Here we go.” Shane said as he started to splash around in the water making Carl laugh. “All right there coming your way.” Shane shouted.

**********

“What you got?” Shane asked/

“Dirt.” Carl said looking down at his hands a little sad.

“Oh boy.” Shane nodded not having expected Carl to get anything first try. “We’ve got to start over. Come on let’s find a bucket.”

“Can someone explain to me.” Jacqui started as she and some of the other women in the camp watched Shane and Carl from where they were doing laundry. “How women wound up foing all the Hattie McDaniel work?”

“The world ended.” Amy shrugged. ”Didn’t you get the memo?” 

“Just how things are.” Carlo shrugged as Ed watched what she was doing from behind.

**********************************************************************************

“Merle or guns first?” Rick asked Glenn after they had cut through a fence.

“Merle!” Daryl exclaimed giving his husband a bad look. “We ain’t even having this conversation.”

“We are.” Rick nodded paying no attention to the bad look Daryl was giving him. “You know the geography. It’s you call.” He told Glenn.

“Merle’s closest.” Glenn told them making Daryl quietly sigh in relief. “The guns would mean doubling back. Merle’s first.”

**********************************************************************************

“What’s so funny?” Ed asked when he noticed the group laughing and not doing the washing.

“Just swapping war stories Ed.” Andrea told him not looking back at him.

“Yeah.” Amy agreed with her sister as Ed got up making his way over to them.

“Problem Ed?” Andrea asked finally looking at him.

“Nothing’ that concerns you.” Ed told her giving her a dirty look. “And you ought to focus on your work. This ain’t no comedy club.”

“Hey Carl.” Lori shouted as she came down to the quarry. “What did I tell you about leaving Dale’s side?”

“But Shane said we could come catch frogs.” Carl told her. “Remember?”

“It doesn’t matter what Shane says. Your dads left me in charge so it matter what I say.” Lori told him giving both of them a bad look. “Go on back to camp. I’ll be right behind you.”

Carl just nodded before making his way back up to the RV.

“Tell me next time.” Lori told her husband. “I was worried sick.” She added before walking off, following Carl back up to the RV.

Shane watches as the two of them leave.

“Ed, tell you what.” Andrea said. “You don’t like how your laundry is done, your welcome to pitch in and do it yourself. Here.” Andrea handed Ed one of his shirts but he just chucked it right back at her.

“Oh!” Andrea said angrily as the shirt his her in the face.

“Ain’t my job, missy.” Ed told her.

“Andrea don’t.” Carol begged.

“What is your job, Ed?” Andrea asked not listening to Carol. “Sitting on your ass smoking cigarettes?”

“Well it sure as hell ain’t listening to some uppity smart-mouthed bitch.” Ed shouted before moving over to Carol. “Tell you what.” Ed grabbed her arm starting to pull her away as he said. “Come on. Let’s go.”

“I don’t think she needs to go anywhere with you.” Andrea told him standing up. 

“And I say it’s none your business. Come on now.” Ed tugged Carol a little harder making her grimace. “You heard me.”

“Carol.” Andrea said moving closer to help her.

“Andrea, please. It doesn’t matter.” Carol begged.

“Hey don’t think I won’t knock you on your ass just ‘cause you’re some college-educated cooze, all right?” Ed shouted as Andrea before going back to shouting at his wife. “Not you come on now or you gonna regret it later.”

“So she can shoe up with some fresh bruises later Ed?” Jacqui asked as she stood up. “Yeah we’ve seen them.”

Ed just laughed loudly making Shane notice the commotion going on.

“Stay out of this.” Ed told them in a threatening voice. “Now come on! You know what? This ain’t none of y’all’s business. You don’t want to keep prodding the bull here. Okay? Now I’m don’t taking. Come on.”

“No no.” Andrea said at the same time as Amy said “Carol. You don’t have.” When Amy stopped talking Andrea tried finish for her sister. “You don’t have…”

“You don’t tell me what! I tell you what!” Ed shouted at them before he slapped Carl. “You think you can...” Ed started but before he got the chance to finish the girls all jump forward trying to protect Carol.

Shane walked over grabbing Ed. “Get of me!” Ed shouted at him as Shane threw Ed to the ground. 

“Ed.” Carol shouted desperately as she watched Shane start punching Ed.

“It’s okay.” Amy assured Carl as she held her back.

Shane continues to puch Ed in the face his rage taking over him till Andrea finally steps in.

Shane grabbed Ed’s face before telling him. “You put your hand on your wife, your little girl or anybody else in this camp one more time. I will not stop next time.” Shane threatened. “Do you hear me? Do you hear me?”

“Yes.” Ed said as lot quieter then Shane.

“I’ll beat you to death Ed.” Shane promised him as he let him go getting up.

“Ed.” Carol screams crying as she ran over to Ed. “I’m sorry. Oh my god.” Carol repeated as she kneels over him, no one else really sure how to react as Shane walked away.

**********************************************************************************

“Merle.” Daryl starts shouting as soon as they get the chain on the door open rushing onto the roof. “Merle.”

Daryl sees something on the floor before screaming. “No!”

The rest of the group all walk round to see the handcuffs empty and Merles hand on lying on the floor.

Rick walked over to Daryl carefully placing his hand on his husband shoulder as Daryl repeats. “No! No!” over and over again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have ready through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed some please let me know so I can fix them.


	4. Vatos

“Hey.” Rick said knowing the look on Daryl’s face and that it meant nothing good. “Don’t.”

Daryl looked over at his husband’s face lowering the crossbow he had slowly been raising to point at something. “Anyone got a do-rag or something?” He asked pulling out of Rick’s grasp.

T-dog nods handing him a cloth before Daryl leans down and picks up Merle’s already decaying hand and wrapping it up. “I guess the saw blade was to dull for the handcuffs. Ain’t that a bitch?” Daryl’s places Merle’s hand in Glenn’s backpack before continuing. “HE must have used a tourniquet… maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn’t.”

Daryl looks down noticing the trail of blood and following it, Rick following slowly behind as T-dog picked up the tools from the roof.

The group follow Daryl down the and into an office, were Daryl shots a walker with his crossbow.

“Had enough in him to take out these two sumbitches.” Daryl pointed to the walkers on the floor. “One handed.”

**********************************************************************************

Amy and Andrea walk back into camp with a big bucket of fish.

“Aunt Lori.” Carl said pointing over to the buckets. “Look at all the fish.”

“Thank you.” Lori smiled over at the girls.

“Whoa.” Carl said as he got closer amazed at the amount of fish.

“Yeah, whoa. Where did you two learn to do that?” Lori asked them following Carl.

“Our dad.” Amy told them.

“Can you teach me how to do that?” Carl asked looking up at the two sisters.

“Sure. I’ll teach you all about nail knots and stuff.” Amy smiled down at him. “If your dad’s are okay with that of course.”

“I don’t see why they would have a problem.” Lori told Carl making his smile grow.

“Hey dale. “ Andrea asked looking up where Dale was perched in his usual spot on top the RV. “When’s the last time you oiled those line reels? They are a disgrace.”

“I, uh, don’t want to alarm anyone. But we may have a bit of a problem.” Dale said as he pointed over to were Jim was digging holes.

**********************************************************************************

“Merle.” Daryl shouted as the group continued to search for him.

“Were not alone here, remember?” Rick asked knowing his husband was being too loud and if they weren’t carful would end up brining more walkers to them.

“Screw that.” Daryl said just wanting to find his brother okay. “You’re the one that said he could be bleeding out.”

The two of them walked into a kitchen were Merle’s belt was sitting atop the stove.

“What’s that burned stuff?” Daryl asked not wanting to get closer.

“Skin.” Rick said after a quick look. “He cauterized the stump.” 

“Told you.” Daryl turned round to look at his husband. “The only person going to kill Merle is Merle.”

“Don’t take that on faith.” Rick said, the last thing he wanted was for Daryl to get his hopes up then find Merle dead somewhere. “He’s lost a lot of blood.”

“Didn’t stop him from busting out of this death trap.” Daryl pointed out.

The group all continue walking until they come across a broken window. 

“He left the building?” Glenn asked. “Why the hell would he do that?”

“Why wouldn’t he.” Daryl shrugged. “HE’s out there alone as far as he knows, doing what he’s got to do. Surviving.” 

“You call that surviving?” T-dog asked with a small scoff. “Just wondering out in the streets, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there?”

“No worse than being handcuffed to a roof and left.” Daryl said, while he wasn’t angry that they had handcuffed Merle, he knew what his brother could be like and that he probably deserved it, he was mad at them for just leaving him on the roof alone. His chance of survival really low. “You couldn’t kill him, ain’t so worried about some dumb dead bastard.”

“What about a thousand Daryl.” Rick sighed. 

“I’m gonna go get him.” Daryl said having had enough of this.

Daryl.” Rick said grabbing his husbands arm before he could leave. “Wait.”

“You can’t stop me.” Daryl told him his mind dead set on finding his brother.

“I get it, Merles your brother and you want to find him but back at that quarry his a little kids who needs you a dame sight more than your brother.” Rick told him knowing that just mentioning Carl would start to see what he was doing differently. “He can’t go far with that injury. We’ll take the long way to the guns and keep an eye out for him. But you have to keep a level head, for Carl.”

“I could do that.” Daryl agreed reluctantly after a minute.

**********************************************************************************

The group all slowly walk up to Jim a little worried as he continues to dig holes.

“Hey, Jim.” Shane said tentatively as he got the rest of the group to stop. “Jim, why don’t you hold up, all right? Just give me a second here please.”

“What do you want?” Jim asked not stopping his digging.

“Were all just a little concerned, that’s all.” Shane explained.

“Dale says you’ve been out here for hours.” Morals informed him.

“So?” Jim asked not understanding what the problem was.

“So why are you digging?” Shane took another tentative step forward. “Are you heading to China, Jim?”

“What does it matter? I’m not hurting anyone.” Jim finally stopped his digging looking over at the group.

“Yeah, except maybe yourself. It’s a hundred degrees today. You can’t keep this up.” Shane sighed stating to get a little worried.

“Sure I can. Watch me.” Jim told them.

“Jim, they’re not gonna say it so I will. Your scaring people. You’re scaring the kids.” Lori explained to him hopping it would get through.

“They got nothing to be scared of. I mean what the hell people? I’m out here by myself. Why don’t you all just go and leave me the hell alone?” Jim said his voice getting louder.

Shane took another step forward. “We think that you need to take a break, okay?” why don’t you go and get yourself in the shade? Some food maybe. I’ll tell you what… maybe in a little bit I’ll come out here and help you myself.” Shane bargained. “Jim just tell me what this is about. Why don’t you just go ahead and five me the shovel?”

“Or what?” Jim asked.

“There is no or what. I’m asking you. I’m coming to you and I’m asking you, please I don’t want to have to take it from you.” Shane pleaded.

“And if I don’t, then what? Then you’re gonna beat my face in like Ed Peletier, ain’t you? Y’all seen his face, huh? What’s left of it? See, now that what happens when someone crosses you.” Jim said his voice almost a shout by the end.

“That was different Jim.” Shane tried pointing out.

“You weren’t there. Ed was out of control. He was hurting his wife.” Amy tried to explain in Shane’s defence.

“That is their marriage.” Jim pointed out. “That is not his. He is not judge and jury. Who voted you king boss, huh?”

“Jim, I’m not here to argue with you, all right? Just give me the shovel.” Shane tried one last time knowing that if this carried on he would lose it.

“No, no, no,” Jim said over and over again.

Shane walked over to Jim saying. “Just give me the…Jim!” Jim lifts the shovel up pointing it at Shane, but before he got the chance to do anything Shane was tackling him to the ground. “Okay, shhh. Shhh.”

“You got not right.” Jim shouted at Shane.

“Stop.” Shane said not wanting to get any more violent then he already had. “Hey, hey, hey.”

“Don’t.” Jim shouted at him.

“Jim, Jim. Nobody’s gonna hurt you. You hear me? Shhh. Jim nobody is gonna hurt you, okay?”

“That’s a lie.” Jim said his voice sounding broken. “That’s the biggest lie there is. I told that to my wife and my two boys. I said is a hundred times. It didn’t matter. They came out of nowhere. There were dozens of ‘em. Just pulled ‘em right out of my hands. You know, the only reason I got away was ‘’cause the dead were too busy eating my family.”

**********************************************************************************

“You’re not doing this alone.” Rick said as the four of them stood around a table a map of the streets in from of them.

“Even I think this is a bad idea.” Daryl piped up.

“It’s a good idea, okay, if you just hear me out. If we go out there in a group, were slow. Drawing attention. If I’m alone, I can move fast.” Glenn explained to them.

Glenn makes the tank and bag of guns on the map. “Look. That’s the tank, five blocks from where we are now. That’s the bag of guns here’s the alley I dragged you into when we first met, that’s were Daryl and I will go.”

“Why me?” Daryl asked having thought he would be the last person Glenn would trust.

“You crossbow is quitter then his gun.” Glenn said pointing between Rick and Daryl. “Daryl waits here in the alley, I run up the street, grab the bag.”

“You got us elsewhere.” Rick asked.

Glenn points down the street. “You and T-dog, right. You’ll be in this alley here.”

“Two blocks away.” Rick said not really liking be that far away from Daryl when he’s in danger so close to finding his family again. “Why?”

“I may not be able to come back the same way. Walker’s might cut me off. If that happens, I won’t go back to Daryl. I’ll go forward instead, all the way around to that ally where you guys are whichever direction I go, I got you in both places to cover me. After woods we’ll all meet back here.”

“Hey, kid.” Daryl said actually a little impressed but not showing it. “What’d you do before all this?”

“Delivered Pizzas, why?”

**********************************************************************************

“Jim.” Shane said as he walked up to the man who was tied to a tree to protect himself and everyone else. “Take some water.”

“All right.” Jim nodded as he took some of the water from Shane.

“Pour some on my head?” Jim asked after he had drank some.

“Yeah. Cooling you down huh?” Shane asked with a small smirk.

“Yeah. How long you gonna keep me like this?” Jim asked.

“Well, yeah.” Shane started trying to figure the best way to say this. “Until I don’t think that you’re a danger to yourself and others.”

“Sorry if I scared the boy and girl.” Jim said looking up and over at Lori and Carol.

“You had sunstroke. Nobody’s blaming you.” Lori shrugged her shoulders feeling more sorry for Jim then mad at him.

“You’re not scared now are you?” Jim asked feeling horrible for scaring them in the first place. 

“No sir.” Sophie shock her head.

Jim smiled glad to know. “Lori’s right, the sun just cooked my head is all.”

“Jim, do you know why you were digging?” Dale asked speaking for the first time since he arrived. 

“I had a reason. Don’t remember it though.” Jim admitted “Something I dreamt last night. Your dad was in it, so were you? You worried about your dads?” Jim asked Carl.

“They’re not back yet.” Carl told him.

“We don’t need to talk about that.” Lori said not wanting to worry her nephew anymore.

“Your dad’s a police officer, son. He helps people. Probably just came across some folks needing help is all.” Jim told him trying to help comfort the boy. “Both of them though as nails. Don’t know then well but… I could see it in the, Am I right?”

“Oh yeah.” Shane nodded.

“Nothing’s going to stop either of them from getting back to you.” 

“All right.” Shane said deciding that was enough of that conversation. “Who wants to help me clean some fish, huh?”

“Sweet.” Carol said placing a hand on Sophia’s shoulder. “Come on.” Before following Shane.

“Stay with Carol alright.” Lori told Carl before he ran after the three of them. 

**********************************************************************************

Glenn and Daryl made their way down the ladder as quietly as they can when they reach the bottom both of them quickly hiding behind a bin before running to hide behind the next one.

Daryl gives Glenn a nod of conformation before Glenn made his way out of the alley and as quickly and quietly as he can down the main road. 

Glenn quickly makes it to the corner, unaware that he had been noticed by a walker, he carefully jumps over the sand bags and over to the bag.  
Grabbing the bag Glenn turns around coming to face to face with the walker that has spotted him earlier. He makes quick work of the zombie before running back to the ally way as quickly as possible as the noise from the killing the walker had attracted more.

When Glenn reaches the ally way he quickly slams the gate shut just as a walkers slams against it on the other side.  
Glenn looked at Daryl over his shoulder before the two of them make a run for the ladder, both of them making it to the top in record time.

“That was close.” Glenn panted once they reached the top.

“It was.” Daryl agreed with a small grunt.

**********************************************************************************

“Got it?” Rick asked when they reached the met up point.

“Got it?” Glenn nodded placing the bag on a table.

“Any problems?” Rick asked looking between Glenn and Daryl.

“Nothing we couldn’t handle.” Daryl told him as he went to leaning on one of the tables.

“We need to head back now.” Rick pointed out. “We’ve already been gone for too long.”

“We just need to go back the way we came.” Glenn said pointing down to the map they had drawn on the table. “It should still be clear.”

“Then we head back now.” Rick nodded going to grab the bag.

“What about Merle?” Daryl asked pushing himself away from the table.

“What about him?” T-dog asked. “We looked for him, we couldn’t find him.”

“So you’re just going to leave him out here again?” Daryl asked starting to get a little mad.

“Merle left, we don’t know where he is.” Rick pointed out trying to be the voice of reason. “And we have people back at camp that need our help more.”

Daryl stood there in silence for a moment before making a noise of agreement and grabbing his crossbow of the table. “Let’s go than.” 

**********************************************************************************

“I, uh, built the rocks all around.” Morales started to explain to the group. “See? So the flames can be a little higher and have ‘em hidden.”

“Hey Jim.” Shane said as he and Carl walked up to the man. “How you feeling man?”

“I’m better.” Jim assured them. “More myself now.”

“I hope you understand the need for this.” Shane stopped for a moment not sure how to describe it before settling on. “Timeout. I’ve got others I’ve got to the about, I just want to make sure there’s no… there’s not bad feelings.”

“There’s not.” Jim assured him. “I do understand why you had to do this.”

“Okay.” Shane nodded glad he had gotten that cleared up. “Why don’t you come join in with the rest of us? Big ol’ fish fry.”

“I’d like that very much.” Jim nodded a small smile forming on his face.

Just as everyone was settling down to eat they heard the sound of the tuck pulling up the quarry.

Rick was the first one to get out of the truck quickly followed but Daryl on the passenger side and Glenn and T-dog from the back, Glenn holding the bag of weapons in his hands.

Carl was quick to get up and run over to his dad’s as soon as he saw them. Carl reached Daryl first who quickly pulled his son in for a hug. Carl was the only person Daryl openly showed affection for in public, while he did sometimes show affection for Rick in public it was normally his husband who initiated it. Rick walked round the side of the truck as Carl and Daryl hugged and by the time he made it to his husband and son Carl was pulling away from Daryl and moving over to hug Rick.

Once everyone had their small reunion the four of them joined everyone else around the fire with the promise to show the guns to everyone the next day when they could actually see them properly.

**********************************************************************************

“Hey.” Rick said softly as he walked into the tent later that night.

“Hey.” Daryl replied looking away from their son and up at his husband.

Rick walked over to the bed slumping down next to Daryl beyond tired from the day they had. “Sorry we didn’t find Merle.” Rick said generally meaning it because no matter what he felt about Merle he was still Daryl’s brother and there would always be a part of Daryl that loved him.

“He’ll be fine.” Daryl muttered half meaning it and half still trying to convince himself. “One of toughest people I know.”

Rick placed his hand on Daryl’s shoulder making his husband look over at him. “I still can’t believe I found you guys.” Rick admitted.

“You did.” Daryl pointed out, his softer more affectionate side that only Rick and Carl ever got to see coming out, “Your back.”

“I am.” Rick smiled slightly before leaning up and kissing Daryl.

Daryl was quick to kiss Rick back, both of them feeling like it had been way to long since they last kissed. “How did you make it here?” Daryl asked when he pulled away from the kiss because while he knew a little about what happened Rick hadn’t really had the chance to fully tell him yet.

“I woke up in the hospital, no one else was there.” Rick started as they two of them get more comfortable on the bed, Rick Keeping his hand on Daryl’s leg. “No one else was there, didn’t have a clue what the fuck was going on….”

*********************************************************************************

“Can you teach me how to shoot?” Carl asked his dad once Rick had shown the guns to the rest of the group.

“You have to ask your dad.” Rick told him knowing that Daryl had always wanted to teach Carl how to hunt when he was older.

“Papa.” Carl said getting Daryl’s attention who was standing over by a table not too far away. “Can I learn how to shot a gun?”

“Your dad going to be the teaching you?” Daryl asked, only trusting Rick to teach their son how to safely teach their son.

“Yeah.” Rick nodded.

“Then sure.” Daryl nodded albeit a little reluctantly, while Daryl had always wanted to teach Carl how to hunt he had wanted to wait until his son was older not wanting to be like his own father.

Carl cheered looked over at Rick happily. “Go wait with the others.” Rick told him before walking over to Daryl. “He’s going to be fine.”

“Know.” Daryl replied before going back to his crossbow. “Make sure he doesn’t shot anyone.”

“I will.” Rick said with a laugh before he walked over to the group.

Rick led the group out to a bit of open space not too far from the quarry were they had set up a little training section that morning.

“Be careful.” Rick told Carl after he had explained to everyone the basics of using a gun. “Okay.”

“Promise.” Carl nodded looking up at his dad. 

“Good.” Rick nodded before watching Carl fire off his first shot and going to help everyone else why he kept one eye on his son.

**********************************************************************************

“He did good.” Rick told Daryl when the group got back later that day.

“Good.” Daryl nodded a small smile pulling at the corner of his lips. “I’m gonna go on a quick hunt.”

“Why?” Rick asked looking over at the bucket that still had fish in it. “We have plenty of food.”

“Need more.” Daryl shrugged his shoulders.

“Can’t you go tomorrow?” Rick asked not quite ready to be away from his husband or have Daryl out in the woods on his own.

“Only going to be gone for a few hours.” Daryl promised knowing that his husband was just worried. “Be fine.”

“Okay.” Rick nodded knowing he couldn’t stop his husband no matter how much he wanted to. “Be careful.”

“Always am.” Daryl replied before he picked his crossbow up and went to tell Carl.

**********

Daryl kept his promise that he would only been gone for a few hours and he was back in time for dinner with the rest of the group.

**********************************************************************************

“Why don’t you come outside with everybody?” Carol asked Ed and she and Sophia got ready to leave the tent.

“Hell with them people.” Ed told her sounding more than just a little bit angry. “Wouldn’t piss on then if their heads were on fire.”

Sophia goes to leave but Ed grabs her arm. “Hey! Why don’t you stay here? Keep your daddy company.”

“Ed she wants to join in.” Carol tells placing her hand on Sophia’s shoulder. “Come on.”

“Fine.” Ed starts to shout as they leave the tent. “Hell with both of you. Ain’t no need to be bother me no more the rest of the night.”

“Dale.” Rick said as Carol and Sophia joined the group at the camp fire. “This thing is working perfectly. I don’t know how we’d cook any meat without you.”

“I don’t leave home without my supplies.” Dale told them. “You never know what you may need while out on the open road.”

“That reminds me.” Rick said as he sat forward a little. “I still don’t know what most of you did before all this shit started. Like you Dale.” Rick looked over at the older man. “Did you just travel?”

“Pretty much.” Dale nodded. “I was a salesman or over almost forty years.” Dale said the disbelief clear in his own voice. “I spent most of my life behind a desk on the phone. The week after I retired the wife and I brought that camper and set out to see America.” Dale smiled at just the thought of his wife. “We’d been on the road the better part of two years when everything started happening.  
“We were at a campsite about eighty miles south of here, coming back from Florida. The news hit us a little late and my wife never…. She never left the camp site.” It hurt just mentioning his wife still buried in the ground at some random camp site just outside of Atlanta. “After I buried her I set out for Atlanta. I had family there and the radio said it was the safest place. Of course when I got there it had already been all blocked off. The army were still trying to fight of the hordes inside and I ended up here.”

“Dale found us on his way to Atlanta.” Andrea told them with a small grateful smile. “We had broken down and had ran out of gas, he gave us a ride.”

“Andrea was driving me back to college, classes were starting in a few days.” Amy explained. “I was a physical education major, a junior.”

“I was a clerk at a law firm.” Andrea told them. “That job is one of the few things I won’t miss.”

“I was a pizza delivery boy in Macon Georgia.” Glenn started. “I was swimming in debt and wouldn’t have given anything to get out. The thing is I would gladly take it all back if everything would just go back to normal.” Glenn admitted. “I mean who wouldn’t really? But I was in really bad shape about to lose my apartment and car. I was going to have to bite the bullet and go back to my parents for help. I never wanted to talk to them again but now that I know I can’t I actually kinda want to.”

“Mechanic.” Jim said not going into any more detail.

“You all know that I was a small town cop, from Kentucky. I only ever shot my gun a few times and never anyone else until my last day on duty, I sure tried them.” Rick started knowing that if everyone else was going to share stuff he should share a little more. “I got shot and was in a coma for a while. 

“What about you Carol.” Lori asked looking over at the usually silent women.

“Oh, um.” Carol started not sure what to tell them. “Ed earned most of the money. I sold Tupperware out of catalogues from time to time, but that was it really.”

“Where are you going?” Andrea asked as Amy stood up.

“I have to pee. Jeez, you try and be discreet around here.” Amy said as making everyone laugh before she made her way over to the RV she asked. “Does anyone need anything while I’m in here?” But before anyone could answer Amy a walker came up behind here grabbing her outstretched arm and biting into it.

Andrea screams as she sees her sister get bite making everyone notice and scatter.

“Dad.” Carl shouted but the first person he came across was Lori who pulled him to her.

“Lori.” Shane shouted over at his wife. “Get him down!” He tells her before using his shotgun to shoot several walkers.

By this point everyone is up using the first weapons they could find to kill the zombies. Rick using his gun, Daryl his crossbow, Jim and Morale’s baseball bats and Glenn and T-dog guns,

“Shane what do we do?” Lori asked her husband in a panic. 

Andrea ran over to her sister as the walker bit it her neck, Jim coming up from the side and killing the walker as Andrea dropped to Amy’s side screaming. “No! NO! Oh god! Oh my god.”

“Help me.” Amy begged her voice barely audible.

“O god, I don’t know what do to.” Andrea panicked.

“Stay behind me.” Shane tells Lori as he moved around to kill more walkers. “Stay behind me.”

“Carl.” Rick shouts in relief when he finally catches sight of his son again.

“Dad.” Carl shouted terrified.

The group continued to fight the walkers and quicker then they all expected they were all dead.

“Dad.” Carl shouted again as soon as all the walkers were dead breaking free from Lori’s hold and running over to Rick.

Jim retunes to the rest of the group alive but Andrea stays at her sisters side repeating. “I don’t know what to do.” Over and over again.

As everyone gets rounded back up Jim turned away from Amy to the group before saying. “I remember my dream now. Why I dug all those holes.”

Everyone looks around the camp at the bodies on the floor, both walkers and people from their group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have decided that this story is going to be six chapters spanning just the first season and there will be a second story in the same series for the second season.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I would love yo know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes but it you spot any that I missed can you please let me know in the comments so that I can fix them.


	5. Wildfire.

Rick starts at the sunrise over Atlanta, walkie-talkie in hand as he tried to get a hold of Morgan.

“Morgan, I don’t know if you’re out there. I don’t know if you can hear me. Maybe you’re listening right now. I hope so. I found others… my family, if you can believe it. My husband and son there alive. I wanted you to know that. There’s something else you need to know. Atlanta isn’t safe, it’s not what you thought it was. Do not go to the city.” Rick tells him with a sigh. “We are camped just outside of the city, not for much longer though. We were attacked by a group of walkers last night, were thinking about heading out. Watch yourself Morgan okay. Take care of your boy and I’ll try you again tomorrow at dawn.”

**********************************************************************************

Andrea hasn’t moved from her place above Amy’s dead body.

“Andrea.” Lori said carefully as she walked up to the grieving women. “I’m sorry she’s gone. But you got to let us take her. We all cared about her and I promise we’ll be as gentle as we can.”

The rest of the survives from the attack are helping to clean up the rest of them camp.

“She still won’t move?” Rick asked when Lori walked away from Andrea.

Lori shock her head. “She won’t even talk to us. She’s been there all night. What do we do?”

“Can’t we just leave Amy like that? We need to deal with it same as other.” Shane said.

“I’ll tell her how it is.” Rick told them before approaching Andrea who pulls a gun on him. “Andrea.” Rick brings his hands up.

“I know the safety works.” Andrea reminded him.

“All right. Okay. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Rick repeated as he backed off.

*********

“Ya’ll can’t be serious.” Daryl said in shock. “The dead girls a ticking time bomb.”

“What do you suggest we do then?” Rick asked not able to come up with anything.

“Take the shot.” Daryl said as if I was obvious. “Clean, in the brain from here. Hell, I can hit a turkey between the eyes from this distance.” 

“No.” Lori said shocked. “For gods sakes, let her be.”

**********

“What are you guys doing?” Glenn asked as he walked towards Morales and Daryl. “This is for geeks. Our people go over there.”

“What’s the difference? They’re all infected.” Daryl pointed out.

“Our people go in that row over there.” Glenn said as he pointed to a row of five dead bodies. “We don’t burn them! We bury them. Understand. Our people go in that row over there.”

Daryl just nodded before he and Morales dragged the body over to the other pile.

“Are you bleeding?” Jacqui asked Jim from where they were piling up some of the other bodies.

“I just got come blood on me from the bodies.” Jim tried to shrug it off but Jacqui wasn’t having any of it.

“That blood is fresh.” Jacqui pointed out. “Were you bit?”

“No. I got scratched during the attack.” Jim told her.

“You go bit.” Jacqui said not believing him in the slightest.

“I’m fine.” Jim tried to reassure her but wasn’t doing a very good job.

“Then show me?” Jacquie asked.

“Don’t tell please.” Jim begged.

“A walker go him.” Jacqui shouted so that everyone could hear her knowing that she couldn’t keep something like this right now. “A walker bit Jim.”

“I’m okay” Jim tried to assure everyone as they gathered around him. “I’m okay.”

“Show it to us.” Dale told him. “Show it to us.” He repeated when Jim didn’t. 

“I’m okay.” Jim said again.

“Show it to us.” Daryl said not quite as nicely as Dale. “Show it to us.”

“Easy Jim.” Shane said when it looked like he was about to bolt. 

“Grab him.” Daryl told no one in particular as he got closer. 

Before anyone could get closer to him Jim picked up a shovel from the floor pointing it at everyone.

“Jim, put it down.” Shane shouted at the man. “Put it down.”

T-dog grabs Jim from behind and holds him.

“I’m okay, I’m okay.” Jim repeated as Daryl walked up to him lifting his top and revealing a deep bite wound. “I’m okay, I’m okay.”

**********************************************************************************

“I say we put a pickaxe in his hand and the head of the dead girl’s and be done with it.” Daryl told them shocking Rick with how cold his husband was being about all this.

“Is that what you’d want if it were you?” Shane asked his brother-in-law thinking he had gotten Daryl there.

“Yeah.” Daryl nodded. “And I would thank you while you were doing it.”

“I hate to say it… and I never thought I would… but Daryl’s right.”

“Jim’s not a monster.” Rick pointed out. “Or some rabid dog.”

“I’m not suggesting.” Dale started but Rick cut him off.

“He’s sick. A sick man. We start down that road, where do we drew the line?” Rick asked not ready to cross the line of killing a living person. 

“The line’s pretty clear.” Daryl pointed out not believing what he was hearing from his husband. “Zero tolerance for walkers, or them to be.”

“What if we can get him help?” Rick asked. “I heard the C.D.C was working on a cure.”

“I heard that too.” Shane nodded agreeing with his best friend. “Heard a lot of things before the world went to hell.”

“What if the C.D.C is still up and running?”

“Man, that’s a stretch right there.” Shane shock his head.

“Why? If there’s any government left, any structure at all, they’d protect the C.D.C as all coasts.” Rick pointed out. “I think it’s our best shot. Shelter, protection.”

“Okay Rick.” Shane said his voice a little condescending. “You want those things, all right? I do too, okay? Now if they exist, they’re at an army base. Fort Benning.”

“That’s a hundred miles in the other direction.” Lori pointed out.

“That is right.” Shane nodded his head. “But it’s away from the hot zone. Now listen to me. If that place is operational, it’ll be heavily armed. We’d be safe there.”

“The military were on the front lines of this thing. They got overrun. We’ve all seen that. The C.D.C is our best choose and Jim’s only chance.” Rick said his mind going back to the hospital and how bad it looked.

“You going looking for aspirin.” Daryl said having had enough of this and not willing to take any risks with his son so close by. “Someone needs to have some balls and take care of the problem.” Daryl picked up a pickaxe and made his way to Jim. But before he could get here Shane grabbed him from behind.

“We don’t kill the living.” Shane told him as he brought Daryl down into a light choke hold. 

“I’m just trying to protect everyone.” Daryl shouted.

“Put it down?” Rick asked Daryl.

Daryl reluctantly dropped the pickaxe before Shane let go of him. “The choke holds illegal by the way.” Daryl told him before walking off. 

Rick shot Shane a bad look before turning around to Jim. “Come with me.” 

“Where are you taking me?” Jim asked a little worried.

“Somewhere safe.” Rick promised.

**********************************************************************************

“I came here to pay my respects.” Dale said as he sat down next to Andrea. “This is her birthday?” He asked remember his and Andrea’s conversation the other day about gift wrap.

“Her birthday was always like a weeklong affair.” Andrea laughed a little. “But I somehow always missed it. I was away at collage or too busy for kid’s parties. She’s called me all exited, I always said that I’d make it home and I always meant it. I never did make it past the phone call though.”

“I know things are hard enough for you without adding guilt to the mix, huh?” Dale asked her.

Andrea pulled out the mermaid necklace she found in the shop and placed it round Amy’s neck.

*************

Daryl continued to swing a pickaxe down on the dead walkers head, needing to get all his anger out for Shane on the walkers and not his brother-in-law, but Carol stopped him when he reached Ed.

“I’ll do it.” Carol told him a look of determination on her face. “He’s my husband.”

Daryl just nodded handing her the pickaxe. And stands back and watches as Carol gets all her own anger out for her abusive husband.

**********

Andrea looks down as she hears Amy’s ruff breathing just in time to see her sister open her eyes. “Amy, Amy.” She said desperately as Amy reached up at her. “I’m sorry for not ever being there. I always thought there’d be more time. I’m here now, Amy. I’m here and I love you.” Andrea cried as she shot Amy in the head.

*********

“I still think this is a bad idea.” Daryl said as he got out of the tuck next to were Rick and Shane where digging graves. “Not burning these bodies. It’s what we said we’d do, right? Burn ‘em all, want that the idea?”

“At first.” Shane nodded.

“People get all emotional and say it’s not the thing to do so we just follow along with them?” Daryl asked. "These people need to know who the hell’s in charge here, what the rules are.”

“There are no rules.” Rick pointed out.

“We haven’t had one minute to hold onto anything about our old selves.” Lori pointed out walking over to the three men, “We need time to mourn and we need to bury our dead. It’s what people do.”

**********************************************************************************

“Are we safe now dad?” Carl asked Rick as they walked back from burying everyone. “Now that were together.”

Rick nodded. “I won’t leave again. I promise you that. Not for anything. Now give me and chance to talk about some things with your dad, okay?”

“Yeah.” Carl said with a nod before walking over to were Carol and Sophia were.

Rick lightly grabbed the back of Daryl’s hand walking away from the rest of the group.

“What do you think about the C.D.C?” Rick asked needing to know his husbands honest opinion. 

“Don’t know.” Daryl shrugged. “We can’t stay here. Not after last night. But I don’t know about the C.D.C.”

“We’re at a ragged edge here.” Rick pointed out. “We have a sick man. We need something.”

“You know how I feel about Jim.” Rick nodded when Daryl stopped talking. “But it would be the best place to help him. They’ll need to know somthing for certain.”

“I love you.” Rick told him. “The only things I know for certain right now is that I love you and Carl.”

“Love you to.”

**********************************************************************************

Rick and Lori walked into the RV.

“His fever’s getting worse.” Carols informed them from where she was sitting next to Jim.

“You need anything?” Lori asked Jim.

“Uh… water.” Jim said after a second of thought. “Could use some water.”

“I’ll get you some.” Lori smiled at his getting a small thank you for Jim she turned to Carol. “Carol, you help me?” Carol nodded before following Lori out of the RV leaving Rick and Jim on their own.

“You save a grave for me?” Jim asked as soon as the two women had left.

“Nobody wants that.” Rick assured him.

“It’s not about what you want. That uh…” Jim started having to pause for a second to catch his breath. “That sound you hear is god laughing while you make planes.”

“What I want Jim, if.” Rick personally wasn’t sure whether he believed in god, especially with the way the world was right now. “If god allows, it to get you some help.”

Jim groans spitting into the bowl next to him, the fever starting to make him delirious. “Watch the mangroves. Their roots will gouge the whole boat. You know that right? Amy is there swimming. You’ll watch the boat, right? You said you would.”

“I’ll watch the boat.” Rick promised knowing it was what the man needed to hear right now. “Don’t worry.”

“Okay.”

**********

“I need you to talk some sense into your brother.” Shane said as he walked up to his wife. “This C.D.C thing Lori it’s a mistake.”

“What if it’s not?” Lori asked turning round to face Shane.

“So you’re backing him?” Shane asked sounding just a little bit hurt.

“He’s my brother I trust him.” Lori pointed out.

“And I’m your husband.” Shane pointed out. “You should trust me.”

“I do.” Lori assured him. “But the C.D.C is closer, I think we have a better chance of getting there. I’m not going to back you just because your my husband, I’m going to back the idea I think’s better. And you need to stop bring out marriage up every time you and Rick disagree.”

“I guess I’ll just add that to the list then.” Shane said sarcastically as Rick walked out of the RV.

“What habits?” 

“Just talking about my need for a plan, man. Do what is it? Are we leaving or no?” Shane asked not sounding happy in the slightest. “Maybe y’all just want to stay here. We could hand some tin cans.”

“We can’t stay here. We both know that.” Rick pointed out.

“I was just telling Shane.” Lori piped up trying to stop another argument between the two of them. “I think we should go with your gut,” Lori said to Rick.

“Let’s go do our sweep.” Shane told Rick knowing he wasn’t going to get anywhere in convincing Rick his plan was the right one with Lori around.

**********

“Tell you what man.” Shane started as he and Rick walked through the Forrest, sweeping it for walkers. “These people, man, there not convinced. You know? You head to the C.D.C and you might be on your own. You really gotta consider whether you want to put Carl in that kind of spot.”

“I got to do what I think is best for my family.” Rick told him not willing to budge. “Daryl agrees with me. The C.D.C is what’s best.”

“Best for your family?” Shane asked in disbelief. “What’s that? Exposing them to all kinds of risks?”

Rick stopped looking over at his friend. “As opposed to what? Crossing a hundred miles of hostile territory? If were looking for a lifeline, I saw we swim towards the closest ship, not further out to sea. Why can’t you back me up?”

“Look I want to, I do. I just can’t see it.”

“If it was your kid you’d feel differently.” Rick told him.

“What did you say to me? I kept ‘em safe, man. I looked after that kid like he were my own. That’s what I did.” Shane said starting to get a little mad at his friend.

“I didn’t mean it that way.” Rick said feeling like Shane was putting words into his mouth.

“We’ll how’d you mean it? Go on, man how’d you mean it?” Shane asked the anger clear in his voice.

“You’re misinterpreting me.”

“All right.” Shane said clearing not believing what Rick said. 

“Your hearing me wrong.” Rick tried again knowing that with the way the world was right now the last thing he needed to do was fall out with his best friend.

“Yeah?” Shane asked his voice full of disbelief and anger.

Before Rick got the chance to say anything else a branch snapped pulling Rick’s attention away and making him going over to see what it was.

Shane pulls his gun up aiming it at Rick before quickly lowering it when he notices Dale watching.

“Jesus.” Dale said as he walked up to Shane.

Shane chuckled before saying. “I know. Gonna have to start wearing reflective vests out here. Seriously. Come on mean. Let’s go nothing out here.” Shane explained before walking off leaving a worried Dale who didn’t believe a word Shane had said.

**********************************************************************************

“So I’ve been, uh…” Shane started when the three of them made it back to camp. “I’ve been thinking about Rick’s plan. Now look there are not guarantees either way, I’ll be the first one to admit that. But I’ve known this man a long time, and I trust his instincts. I say that most important thing is we need to stay together. So those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning.”

“Okay.” Rick nodded shocked at what his friend had just said.

**********************************************************************************

“Were moving out.” Rick said into the radio later that day. “Leaving the quarry. If you heard me yesterday you may be coming, I don’t know. But if you are by the time you get here we’ll be long gone. I’m leaving a note and a map to where were heading tapped to a red car if you want to follow our trail.” Rick wanted Morgan to find the note and find his little group, if only so that he can see both of them again make sure there safe and get the chance to thank them again for saving his life and being the reason he got to see his family again. We’re heading to the C.D.C. if there’s anything left, it’s got to be there. Don’t you think? Morgan… I hope you were right about that place. I need you to be.” Rick turned the radio off with a sigh hoping with everything he had that Morgan had heard his message, before he pushed himself up and made his way back to camp.

*********************************************************************************

“Rick.” Daryl said stopping his husband on his way back to camp. “I’m gonna take the truck.”

“Okay.” Rick nodded not getting why this was a big deal. “There’s enough room for all three of us in there.”

“I’m gonna take the bike.” Daryl pointed out. “You and Carl should still go in the car.”

“Don’t be stupid.” Rick said surprised his husband would even suggest this. “We’ll come with you.”

“Carl is looking forward to being with Sophia, don’t stop that.” Daryl said. “I’ll be fine on my own.”

“You sure?” Rick asked not wanting his husband to have to drive all on his own but also knowing how excited his son had been. 

Daryl just nodded in reply.

“Okay.” Rick nodded too before he and Daryl walked the last little bit back to camp.

**********************************************************************************

“Everybody listen up.” Shane shouted from his spot just outside the RV getting everyone’s attention. “Those of you with C.B.s we’re going to be on channel forty. Let’s keep the chatter down okay? Now you got a problem, don’t have a C., can’t get a signal or anything at all, you’re gonna hit your horn one time, that’ll stop the caravan. Any questions?”

“We’re uh. Were.” Morales started obviously finding it hard to come up with the words. “Were not going.”

“We have family in Birmingham. We want to be with our people.” Miranda spoke up from beside her husband.

“You go on your own, you won’t have anyone to watch your back.” Shane reminded them.

“We’ll take the chance.” Miranda told him. “Go to do what’s best for my family.”

“You sure?” Shane asked turning to look at Morales.

“We talked about it.” Morales nodded. “Were sure.”

“All right.” Rick nodded knowing it was there choice and that there was nothing anyone could do to stop them. “Shane.”

“Yeah, all right.” Shane nodded knowing exactly were Rick was going. 

“357?”

“Yeah.” Shane nodded as Rick handed Morales a gun and Shane handed him a box of Ammo. “The box is half full.”

“Thank you all.” Miranda smiled gratefully at everyone. “For everything.”

“Lori walked over hugging Miranda.

“Good luck man.” Shane said as he shock Morales’ hand.

“Appreciate it.”

“Channel forty if you change your mind.” Rick told them as the kids all said a tearful goodbye,

“Yeah.” Morales nodded.

“What makes you think our odds are ay batter the there’s?” Shane asked mostly to himself as Morales and his family walked away. “Come on.” Shane said turning his attention to the group. “Let’s move out

**********************************************************************************

Rick smiled as he looked at his son in the mirror as he happily talked to Sophia who was leaning against her mother. Before he looked back out front to see the RV had stopped, stopping his own car and getting out.

“I told you we’d never get far on that hose burst.” Dale said once that had a chance to look inside the RV.

“Can you jury-rig it?” Rick asked knowing they couldn’t spend too much time out in the open like this.

Dale sighed. “That’s all it’s been so far. It’s more duct tape then hose. And I’m out of duct tape.”

“I see something ahead, a gas station if we’re lucky.” Shane said just as Jacquie got out of the RV.

“Ya’ll, Jim...” Jacqui started the tone of her voice telling everyone that it was bad news. “It’s bad. I don’t think he can take it anymore.”

“Hey Rick.” Shane said as Jacqui made her back into the RV to help Jim in any way she could. “You want to hold down the fort? I’ll drive ahead, see what I can bring back.”

“Yeah I’ll come along too and I’ll back you up.” T-dog offered.

“Y’all keep your eyes open now. We’ll be right back.” Shane said before he and T-dog headed to a car,

While Shane and T-dog drove ahead of the RV, Rick walked up the starts and with a sigh made his way into the RV. “We’ll be back on the read soon.” He promised with a small reassuring smile.

“Oh, no.” Jim protested with all the strength he had, which wasn’t all the much. “My bones… my bones are like glass. Every little bump… god, this ride is killing me. Leave me here. I’m done. Just leave me. I want to be with my family.”

“They’re all dead. I don’t think you know what you’re asking.” Rick argued not ready to see another member of his group dye especially when there might me something he can do about it. “The fever… you’ve been delirious more often than not.”

“I know. Don’t you think I know?” Jim said before letting out a groan of pain. “I’m clear now. In five minutes I may not be. Rick, I know what I’m asking. I want this. Leave me here. Now that’s on me, okay? My decision. Not your failure.”

**********

“That’s what he says he wants.” Rick told the little group who had all gathered around outside the RV.

“And he’s lucid?” Lori asked.

“Seems to be.” Rick nodded. “I would say he is.”

“Back at the camp when I said Daryl was right and you shut me down. You misunderstood me.” Dale started looking over at Rick. “I would never callously kill a man, or go along with it. I was just gonna suggest we ask Jim what he wanted. And I think we have our answer now.”

“We just leave him here? Take off?” Shane asked a little horrified they were even considering it. “I’m not sure I could live with that.”

“It’s not you call.” Lori pointed out before looking between her bother and husband. Either one of you.”

Rick just nodded before he and Shane made their way into the RV and helped carry Jim outside leaning him against a nearby tree.

“Another dam tree.” Jim said with a groan as they helped lower him down.

“Hey Jim… I mean you know it doesn’t have to be like this.” Shane tried one more time.

“No it’s good.” Jim nodded lifting his head up a little. “The breeze feels nice.”

“Okay.” Shane said as he backed away. “All right.”

“Just close your eyes, sweetie.” Jacquie told him as she leaned down. “Don’t fight.” She kissed him on the cheek before getting back up and walking away.

Rick takes out his gun going to hand it to Jim.

“No.” Jim shock his head pushing it back to Rick. “You’ll need it. I’m okay.”

Rick just nodded before he himself stood up and walked away.

“Oh, hey. Thanks for, huh, for fighting for us.” Dale said.

“Okay.” Jim nodded before he watched everyone else make their way back to their cars and drive off.

**********************************************************************************

The RV pulls to a stop in front of the C.D.C, the rest of the cars pulling up behind it. Thousands of flies flying in the air as the group all got out of their cars taking in the sight of dead bodies lying on the ground.

“All right everyone.” Shane said when the whole group were close enough to hear him without him having to shout too loudly. “Keep moving, stay quite.”

“Keep moving.” Rick said as the group all made their way towards the entrance.  
The group all slowly made their way through the dead bodies, Sophia clinging to her mum and Carl almost glued to his dads side.

“Keep it together.” Shane said to himself when they reached the entrance to find it bordered shut. Shane pounded on the door even though he knew no one was in there.

“There’s nobody here.” T-dog pointed out what they all expected.

“Then why are the shutters down?” Rick asked a little bit desperate to find something in there.

“Walkers.” Daryl informed them from where he was keeping watch. “Were in a graveyard.” Daryl pointed out.

“Shut up.” Shane told him before turning to Rick. “This is a dead end man.”

“Where are we gonna go?” Jacqui asked.

“Do you hear me?” Shane asked Rick a little too loudly.

“She’s right. We can’t be here, this close to the city after dark.” Lori pointed out trying to get her brother to listen.

“Fort Benning Rick. Still an option.” Shane said still trying to convince Rick of his plan as Daryl shot a walker in the head with his crossbow.

“On what?” Andrea asked. “No food, no fuel that a hundred miles. Well never make it.”

“125.” Glenn corrected her. “I checked on the map.”

“Forget Fort Benning.” Lori told them having had enough of hearing about it. “We need somewhere safe tonight.”

“Well think of something.” Rick promised them as he catches sight of one of the security cameras moving.

“Come on, let’s go. Let’s get out of here.” Shane told Rick as he turned around. “All right everybody back to the cars.”

“The camera, it moved.” Rick told them.

“You imagined it.” Shane shock his head.

“It moved. It moved.”

“Rick its dead man, it an automated devise. It gears, okay? They’re just winding down.” Shane told him. “Now come on.” Rick didn’t move just stood there staring at the camera. “Man, just listen to me. Look around this place. Its dead, okay? It’s dead. You need to let it go Rick.”

Rick doesn’t listen to Shane instead moving forward to start banging on the shutters.

“Rick.” Daryl shouted back at his husband. “There’s no one here!”

“I know you’re in there.” Rick shouted looking up at the cameras. I know you can hear me.”

Shane grabs Rick trying to drag him away. “Everybody get back to the cars now!”

“Please, were desperate. Please help is. We have women, children, no food hardly any gas yet.” Rick pleads hoping that whoever is in there is at least a half decent person.

“Rick there’s nobody in there.” Lori tells her brother as she joins her husband in trying to pull Rick away.

“We have nowhere to go.” Rick shouted as he broke free of both Shane and Lori’s hold and went back to banging on the door. “If you don’t let us in, you’re killing us! Please!”

“Come on buddy.” Shane tried again a little worried that Rick was losing it. “Let’s go.”

“Please help us.” Rick pleaded again. “You’re killing us! You’re killing us!”

Rick’s finally about to give in when the door to the C.D.C opened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I would love yo know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I have read through and corrected all the mistakes but it you spot any that I missed can you please let me know in the comments so that I can fix them.


	6. TS-19.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter, thank you for everyone who's taken the time to comment to this story or leave Kudos, it means a lot to me.  
> I hope you like the last chapter, and this wont be the end of the story, I'm planning on writing a series of story's set in this universe, I already have the first four chapters of the next story written.
> 
> and again I hope you enjoy the last chapter.

Shane opened the door to Rick’s hospital the sound of yelling getting louder as he took in the scene around him, Groups of men in military uniforms running up and down the hospital hallway.

“Hey, hey. Whoa whoa whoa.” Shane shouted trying to get someone’s attention. “Ma’am.” Shane grabbed the arm of a nurse getting her to look at him. “Ma’am, please can you help me?”

“No no!” The nurse replies in a panic as she broke free from Shane’s hole and ran down the hall.

Shane looked in the direction the women had come, seeing two military officers checking in different room. “Check them all.” One of the said to the other before he walked over to the other side.

Shane ran down the hall in the same direction as the nurse, grabbing the first gurney he saw before he spots movement out of the corner of his eye looking over to see a man in full camouflage gear wearing a gas mask shooting doctors and nurses.  
After the doctors and Nurses were dead the solider put a bullet in all of their heads for good measure as a door behind him opened and in walked a walker, who grabbed him straight away biting into his neck and making the solider shot rounds into the celling.

Shane grabbed the gurney and runs back to Rick’s room just as more walkers made their way in.  
Leaving the gurney outside Shane made his way into Rick’s room and over to the lifeless body of his best friend and bother-in-law.

“Okay. I’m gonna get you out of here bud.” Shane promised as he tried to pick Rick up but failing with a groan. He squats down beside Rick’s bed looking between the man and the monitor with Rick’s vitals. “What do I do?”

Shane ducks down behind the bed as a solider in riot gear walked into the room. The solider looks down at Rick’s lifeless body not seeing Shane hidden on the other side of the bed as one of his trop stop’s at the door. “Come on, Corporal. Movie out!” The solider listens to his command and back out of the room.

Shane pushed himself up to look at Rick as the sounds of gun fire and a helicopter continue in the distance. “Listen to me. If you’re gonna wake up. I need you to do it now okay?” Shane stopped waiting to see if Rick was going to before trying again. “Please, man just show me a sight. Anything. Rick please?”

An explosions happens not too far away and the powers starts whirring down. 

Shane put his head down on Rick’s chest trying to listen for a head beat but not hearing anything he lifts his head up looking over at the door. “I’m okay.” Shane said as he pulled his gun out making his way to the door.

Shane looks behind him as he walks out the room seeing walkers coming in his direction, looking ahead of him he hear gunfire. Shane looks back into Rick’s room one last time his friend still lying lifeless on the bed. He walks out the room closing the door and pushing the gurney up against it. 

Pointing his gun at the walkers Shane prepares to shoot before thinking better of it and running in the other direction.

**********************************************************************************

“Daryl cover the back.” Shane told Daryl as the group stood outside the now open entrance to the C.D.C.

“Hello?” Rick shouted making his way into the building. “Hello?” Everyone else follows Rick in looking around the completely empty lobby. “Hello?”

The whole group turns around at the sound of a gun cocking to see a man, Edwin Jenner, standing in the doorway, a rifle in his hands. “Anybody infected?”

“One of our group was. He didn’t make.” Rick said deciding that in this situation being truthful was the best option.

“Why are you here?” Jenner asked his gun still pointed at him. “What do you want?”

“A chance.” Rick told him.

“That’s asking an awful lot these days.” Jenner pointed out. 

Rick nodded agreeing with the man. “I know.” 

Jenner looked around at everyone making his decision. “You submit to a blood test. That’s the price of admission.”

“We can do that.” Rick agreed making Jenner lower his weapon.

“You got stuff to bring in, you do it now.” Jenner told them all making what was left of the group waiting outside walk in. “Once this door closes it stays closed.”

Once everyone is safely in with their belongings they all follow Jenner to an elevator getting in.

“Rick Grimes.” Rick shock the man’s hand as they stood in the elevator.

Jenner looked away as Rick let go of his hand before saying. “Edwin Jenner.”

“Doctors always go around packing heat like that?” Daryl asked from where he was standing behind Rick his hand protectively on Carl’s shoulder.

“There were plenty left lying around. I familiarised myself.” Jenner explained. “But you all look harmless.” He looked down at. “Except you. I’ll keep an eye on you.” Carl smiled up at the man making Jenner laugh a little.

Looking away from Carl Jenner lets his smile drop as the elevator doors open and everyone gets out.

“Are we underground?” Carol asked a little nervously as she held onto Sophia.

“Are you claustrophobic?” Jenner asked briefly looking back at her.

“A little.” Carol admitted.

“Try not to think about it.”

“VI, bring up the lights in the big room.” Jenner said as they walked into a large darkened space. “A humming noise started as Jenner turned round to look at them. “Welcome to zone 5.”

Rick looked around expecting to see other people and shocked when he took in no one. “Were is everybody? The other doctors, that staff?”

“I’m it.” Jenner admitted. “IT just me here.”

“What about the person you were talking to?” Lori asked a little confused. “VI?”

Jenner just smiled before looking up and saying, “VI, say hi to our gusts. Tell them welcome.”

“Hello, guest, welcome.” 

“I’m all that’s left sorry.”

**********************************************************************************

Everyone, including Jenner, are sat around a table finished plates of past and half full wine glasses on the table.

“That’s fine.” Lori told Dale as he filled her glass up.

“You know, in Italy.” Dale started as he looked down at Carl who was sitting next to his dad. “Children have a little bit of wine with their dinner, and in France.”

“And when he’s in France or Italy, he can.” Daryl spoke up from where he was leaning against the side behind Dale.

“What’s it gonna hurt?” Rick asked looking over at his husband. “Come on.”

Daryl nodded making Dale laugh as he poured a little bit into a glass.

“What?” Carl asked as he was handed the glass taking a sip before his face screws up in disgust and he lets out a loud “Ewww.” Making all the adults around the table laugh. “Yuck. That’s tastes nasty.” Carl informed them making everyone laugh again.

“Well just stick to pop soda there, bud.” Shane said with a laugh in Carl’s direction.

“Not you Glenn.” Daryl told the man as he walked round to the table bottle of scotch in his hand.

“What?” Glenn asked confused looking over at Daryl. 

“Keep drinking, little man. I want to see how red your face can get.” Daryl told him electing more laughs from the group as he poured himself another glass. 

Rick looks over at Jenner, frowning when he notices that the man isn’t having a good time ha grabs his fork taping it on the side of his glass gaining everyone’s attention. 

“It seems we haven’t thanks our host properly.” Rick pointed out.

“He is more than just our host.” T-dog said. 

“Here, here.” Dale agreed.

“Here’s to you doc.” Daryl lifted his glad in Jenner’s direction. “Booyah.”

“Booyah.” T-dog echoed.

“Thank you doc.” Rick said as everyone clinked there glasses.

“So when are you gonna tell us what the hell happened here doc?” Shane asked ruining the happy mode everyone was in. “All the… the other doctors that were supposed to be figuring out what happened, where are they?”

“We’re celebrating, Shane.” Rick pointed out not reading to break this little happy bubble they were all in right now, he knew eventually they were going to have to talk about it but he really wasn’t feeling up to it yet, “Don’t need to do this now.!”

“Whoa, wait a second. This is why we’re here right?” Shane asked looking at Rick with disbelief. “This was your move... Supposed to find all the answers. Instead we.” Shane paused for a second letting out a chuckle. “We found him. Found one man why?”

“Well, when things got bad, a lot of people just left. Went off to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun, the rest bolted.”

“Every last one?” Shane asked not believing what the man was saying.

“No, many couldn’t face walking out the door.” Jenner said feeling his chest tightening up. “They… opted out. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time.”

“Why didn’t you leave?” Andrea asked.

“I just kept working.” Jenner shrugged. “Hoping to do some good.”

Glenn turned to Shane an unhappy look on his face. “Dud, you’re such a buzz kill, man.”

With the meal done and everyone’s mode to have a good time gone Jenner showed them all round to the living spaces.

“Most of the facility is power down including housing so you’ll have to make do down here.” Jenner told them as they stood in a corridor, outside a row of doors. “The couches are comfortable, but there are cots in the storage if you liked. There’s a rec room down the hall that the kids might like. Just don’t plug any video game okay? Or anything with power. The same applies if you shower, go easy on the hot water.”

“Hot water?” Glenn asked his smile widening.

“That’s what the man said.” T-dog said his smile just as big making them both laugh.

**********************************************************************************

Daryl stood under the shower tilting his head back, letting the water fall on his face as Rick walked in behind him sliding his arms around his husband’s waist and pulling him in closer as he stared kissing his neck.  
Daryl turned around in Rick’s arms pulling his husband in for a passionate kiss.

**********************************************************************************

Rick walked past Dale in the hallway bottle of wine in his hand smiling at the older man. Dale smiled back as he continued towards the showers stopping then he hears vomiting coming from the next shower over.

“Andrea.” Dale said cautiously as he walked into the room to see her slumped over the toilet puking her guts out. Dale walked over to Andrea sinking to his knees as he brought a hand up to stroke her back. “That’s it. That’s it. Get it all out.”

“Oh… god.” Andrea moaned as she reached her hand up flushing the toilet before sliding herself across the floor and away from Dale’s comfort.

“Oh, everything’s gone.” Andrea buried her head in her hands feeling the tears coming back.

Dale nodded moving just a little bit closer to Andrea. “It’s always better going down then coming up, uh?”

“I don’t mean the wine, Dale.” Andrea corrected him looking up. “You know, it’s over. There’s nothing left. Don’t you see it?”

“Oh.” Dale said finally getting what see was talking about. “I see a chance to make a new start.”

Andrea laughed. “Oh my god dale. Didn’t you see the look on Jenner’s face?” She asked. “There’s nothing left. Nothing left.”

**********************************************************************************

Rick knocked on the wall as he joined Jenner in the big room bottle of wine in his hands.

“How’s the blood?” Rick asked walking closer to the man.

“No surprises.” 

“I came to thank you.” Rick told him.

“You did?” Jenner asked as Rick went to lean on one of the consoles, his drunk self not able to find it and instead falling to the floor in a sitting position.

“You all. You all right?” Jenner asked a little worried about man.

“You don’t know what it’s like out there.” Rick started with a laugh the alcohol in his system making him let all his feelings out. “You don’t know what it’s like out there. You may think you do, but you don’t. We’d have did out there. It was only a matter of time. There’s too many of those things. My… boy… my husband, I never…. I never told ‘em what I really thought. I never even hinted at it. I just kept it all. It all in and kept us moving, you know.” His emotions overcoming him Rick just stammered into silence.

“It’ll be okay.” Jenner said even though they both knew it wouldn’t be.

**********

Carl and Sophia laughed as they played checkers on the floor in the rec room, Carol sitting behind them a book in hand as Lori walked into the room a glass of wine in hand.

“Any good books?” Lori asked Carol as she walked over to the book self.

“Uh-huh.” Carol said with a nod. “Enough to keep us busy for years.” Carol pushed herself up from the sofa looking down at the kids. “Come on, it’s bed time.”

“Your dads will be looking for you.” Lori pointed out to Carl when it looked like he wasn’t going to follow the mum and daughter.

Carol leads the two kids out of the room leaving Lori on her own.

Shane smiled as he walked into the room watching Lori, clearly not sober. Lori picks up one of the books looking at the cover not noticing her husband coming into the room.

Shane walks further in slamming the door shut behind him.

“Jesus.” Lori shouted looking round at her husband with a bad look on her face. “You scared me.”

“I’m gonna tell you a few things and you’re going to listen to me.” Shane told her as he walked closer.

Lori who could easily tell her husband was drunk and that this wasn’t the right time to have a conversation like this told him. “Now is not the time.”

Shane chuckled. “When is it ever?” Shane brings the whiskey bottle in his hands up and takes a hug gulp as Lori tries to leave. “How can you treat me like this?” He asked as he blocked Lori’s way out.

“You’re kidding right?” Lori asked shocked. 

“No.” 

“Because you told me brother was dead.” Lori shouted trying to move around Shane.

“Jesus Lori, I didn’t lie to you. I didn’t.” Shane tried to defend himself. “I didn’t lie.”

“Our marriage was falling apart before that.” Lori pointed out. “That was just the last straw.”

“Things were falling apart okay. They were slaughtering people in the hallways. I couldn’t get him out.”

“So you just left him there?”

“Everybody else ran. There was no doctors, it was just me. He was hocked up to so many machines. I didn’t know what to do.” Shane tried to explain. “I tried to find a heartbeat but I couldn’t, I just couldn’t. Maybe it was the gunfire I font know. But in my mind there was no way he could have survived that.”

“He did.” Lori pointed as Shane banged the door in frustration. 

“I had you to think about.” Shane shouted at her. “Didn’t I?” He grabbed Loris shoulders. “You and Carl.”

“Okay.” Lori said as she backed up until her back hit a table. “No, no.”

“I had to get you safe to Atlanta. That’s what I had to do.” Shane told her as Lori tried to push him away. “If you or Daryl thought for one second that he was alive.” Shane pushed her back against the table getting closer. “You wouldn’t have left. I needed you to leave. I had to save your life, and the life of that little boy. That’s what I did.”

Lori just shook her head speechless. “I would have traded places with him. I would have. So you would still have your bother and that kid would still have both his dads.”

“No, no.” Lori shock her head.

“I love you. More than anything.” Shane told her as he got even closer grabbing her chin with his hand to keep her from looking away.

“Shane your drunk.” Lori told him.

“Just okay, stop.” Shane reached his hand down between her left. “I love you, you love me and there’s nobody else here.”

“Please Shane you drunk.” Lori tried desperately. “Not now. Not when you’re like this.”

Lori pushed Shane away by the neck making her husband stumble back. Staring at her husband, for the first time in their whole relationship scared of him Lori watched as he pounded his first on the wall before yanking the door open and walking out. 

As Lori stood there her back still against the table she shock as she let the tears finally come.

**********************************************************************************

Rick stumbled a little as he tried to quietly sneak his way into one of the room, very tipsy. 

Daryl opened his eyes when he heard the sound of Rick quietly shutting the door, letting out a quiet sigh when he saw it was just his husband.

Rick ricked his shoes off before letting his jeans fall the floor and letting himself fall onto the cot next to Daryl.

“It’s okay.” Rick told Daryl as he pulled him to his side having noticed even in his drunk state that Daryl had tensed when he walked into the room. “Were safe here.”

“I know.” Daryl nodded as he let his head fall on Rick’s chest, only half believing what he had said.

**********************************************************************************

“Are you hung over?” Carl asked as Rick walked into the big room where everybody else was already eating their breakfast. “Papa said you would be.”

“Papa is right.” Rick nodded with a small smiled as he patted Carls head sitting down next to his son. “He has that annoying habit.”

“Eggs, powdered.” T-dog told him looking rather proud of himself. “But I do ‘em good.” Glenn moaned clearly not as happy as T-dog about the eggs. “I bet you can’t tell.” Dale laughed both from Glenn’s misery and T-dogs teasing of it. T-dog handed out the eggs to everyone telling Glenn. “The protein with help your hangover.”

Rick picked up a bottle of aspirin that had been lying on the table in front of him. “Where did this come from?”

“Jenner.” Daryl told him having known his husband was going to need had spoken to Jenner not long after he had woken up. “Thought you might need ‘em.” Daryl took the bottle from Rick who was clearly struggling to undo it.

Rick took the now opened bottle back mumbling a, “Thanks.” To his husband.

Glenn groaned as he lifted his head a little from the table. “Never let me drink again.”

Shane walked into the room. “Hey.”

Rick smiled over at his friend. “Feel as bad as I do?” 

“Worse.” Shane said with a quick glance in Lori’s direction. Shane starts pouring himself a cup of Coffee as Jenner walked into the room. “Hey doc.”

“Morning.” Jenner replied before the rest of the group all said morning.

“Doctor.” Dale started obviously feeling a little bad about what he was about to say. “I don’t mean to slam you with questions first thing….”

“But you’re gonna.” Jenner pointed out.

“We didn’t come here for the eggs.” Andrea pointed out.

Jenner just nodded before leading everyone over to the screens.

“Give me playback of TS-19.” Jenner told the computer after it had started up.

“Playback of TS-19.” VI said back before a beeping noise started and a MRI of someone’s brain showed on the screen.

“Is that a brain?” Carl asked looking up at the screen with a mixture of awe and nerves.

“It is.” Jenner nodded before looking away from Carl and to the adults. “Few people have seen this.” Jenner informed them. “It’s an extraordinary brain. Not that it matters in the end. Take us in VI.”

The image of the brain on the screen changes to show a side view of someone’s head and shoulders, bright blue lights firing inside the person’s brain. The image zooms in until the threads of light become clearing and small pulses of light can be seen.

“What are those light?” Shane asked not taking his eyes away from the screen.

“It’s a person’s life, experiences, memoirs. It’s everything.” Jenner explained looking away from the screen. “Somewhere in all that organic wiring, all those ripples of light, is you. That thing makes you unique and human.” When Jenner noticed a look on some of their faces showing that they didn’t a hundred percent get what he was saying he added. “Those are synapses. Electric impulses in the brain that carry all the messages. They determine everything a person says or does or thinks from the moment of birth to death.”

“Death?” Rick asked before he finally got what Jenner was showing them. “That’s what this is, a vigil.”

“Yes.” Jenner nodded a sad look on his face. “Or rather a playback of a vigil.” He corrected himself.

“This person died?” Andrea asked. “Who?”

“Test subjects 19. Someone who was bitten and infected.” Jenner started pausing to compose himself a little. “And volunteered to have us record the proses. VI, scan forward to the first event.”

“Scanning to first event.” VI said before the imagine speeds up and the bright blue lights start fading, becoming darker and turning black.

“What is that?” Glenn asked looking at the screen confusion clear on his face.

“It invades the brain like meningitis. The adrenal glands haemorrhage, the brain goes into shutdown, then the major organs. Then death. Everything you ever were or ever will be… gone.” Jenner explained.

Sophia looked up at her mum before asking. “Is this what happened to Jim?”

“Yeah.” Carol nodded the hurt clear in her voice.

“She lost somebody two days ago.” Lori told Jenner when he noticed that Andrea was crying. “Her sister.”

Jenner turned to Andrea his voice softer than normal as he said. “I lost somebody too I know how it feels.” Before he turned to VI and said. “Scan the second event.”

“Scanning the second event.” VI confirmed.

“The resurrection times vary widely. We had reports of it happening in as little as three minutes.” Jenner told them as the image on the screen speed up. “The longest we heard was eight hours. In this case the patient. It was two hours, one minute and seven seconds.”

A red glow starts at the base of the brain, the rest staying dark. Small flickers shot higher into the brain but other than that it stays completely dark.

“The brain restarts?” Lori asked shocked.

“No.” Jenner shock his head. “Just the brain stem. It basically just gets them up and moving.”

“But there not alive?” Rick asked taking his eyes of the screen and looking over at Jenner.

“You tell me.”

Rick shakes his head before saying. “IT’s nothing like before, most of the brain is dark.”

“Dark, lifeless, dead.” Jenner confirmed. “The frontal lobe, the neocortex, the human part… that doesn’t come back.” Jenner explained trying to keep it as simple as he could. “The you part. Just a shell driven by mindless instinct.” As Jenner said that the subject moved, its mouth opening and shutting as its head moved side to side’s. The barrel of a gun appears on the screen before a bullet entered the brain making it go completely black again.

“God.” Carol said with shock trying her best to shield Sophia from seeing it. “What was that?”

“He shot his patient in the head.” Andrea said distaste clear in her voice. “Didn’t you.”

Jenner didn’t answer Andrea instead talking to the computer. “VI, power down the main screen and the workstations.”

“You have no idea what it is do you?” Andrea asked as all the screens powered down.

“It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal.” Jenner listed off.

“Or the wrath of god.” Jacqui added.

“There is that.” Jenner nodded.

“Somebody must know something somewhere.” Andrea pointed out.” Somebody somewhere.”

“There are others right. Other facilities?” Carol asked.

“There may be some.” Jenner shrugged his shoulder. “People like me.”

“But you don’t know.” Rick pointed out. “How can you not know?”

“Everything went down.” Jenner said as moved away from the screen. “Communications directives... All of it. I’ve been in the dark for almost a month.”

“So it’s not just here.” Andrea deflated what little hope she still had left leaving her. “There’s nothing left anywhere.”

”Jesus.” Jacqui said just like Andrea and all the hope she had left leaving her.

“Man.” Daryl pushed himself of the console. “Need to get shitfaced drunk. Forget about all this.”

Dale looked over at Jenner sympathy clear on his face. “Dr Jenner I know this has been taxing for you and I hate to ask you more questions. But I have one more. That clock. It’s counting down. What happens when it reaches zero.”

“The basement generators, they run out of fuel.” 

“And then?” Rick asked a little scared about the Doctors answers. Jenner ignore Rick’s questions instead walking out of the big room without another word. “Vi, what happens when the power runs out?”

“When the power runs out, a facility-wide decontamination will occur.” VI informed them.

“Decimation what does that mean?” Glenn asked his voice filled with fear.

“I don’t like the way Jenner clammed up. The way he just walked off like that.” Shane told them.

“What wrong with him? Seriously, man. Is he nuts, medicated, what?” T-dog asked.

“We should check the generators.” Rick pointed out as he started to make his way towards the closets door, Shane, Daryl, Glenn and T-dog following him.

The five of them make their way through the hall and down a set of stairs before Rick comes to halt looking at something on the wall.

“In there.” Rick said after looking at a map on the wall and pointing to a door not that far away.

The five of them walk down the hall and into the room, all the lights automatically turning on. “Check that way.” Rick told Glenn and T-dog before he, Daryl and Shane made their way in the opposite direction.

“It’s empty.” Rick told them when they reached one of the generators. 

The lights all flicker off before dimmer ones came back on and VI states. “Emergency lighting is on.”

“What the hell?” Shane asked looking up at the celling.

Glenn and T-dog run up to them as Glenn asked. “You guys playing with the lights?”

“Nah it just went off.”

“Anything?” Rick asked pointing his head in the direction the two had looked.

“Yea, a lot of dead generators and more empty fuel drums.” T-dog said making everyone sigh.

“It can’t be down to just this one.”

**********

The group all made their way back up to the big room with the intention to talk to Jenner, Daryl grabbing the bottle of scotch of the table. And walked towards were they had slept.

“Why is the air off?” Carol asked Jenner as he walked down the corridor towards the main room.

“And the lights?”

Jenner took the bottle of scotch of Daryl who had just reached the end of the corridor, the rest of the group behind him. “What’s going on? Why is everything turned off?”

“Energy use has been prioritised.”

“Air isn’t a priority?” Dale asked but Jenner just ignore him instead pushing past the group in from of him and continuing his walk to the big room.

“It’s not up to me.” Jenner finally said when he heard them all walking behind him. “Zone 5 is shutting itself down.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Daryl shouted trying not to let his fear come through.

Jenner just carried on walking not sure how the hell he was supposed to explain this to them.

“Hey’ man I’m talking to you.” Daryl shouted his anger growing. “What do you mean it’s shutting itself down? How can a building do that?”

“Jenner what’s happening.” Rick walked past his husband and closer to the man.

“The system is dropping all the nonessential uses of power. It’s designed to keep the computers running until the last possible second. That started as we approached the half hour mark. Right on schedule.” Jenner took a long drink from the bottle as he walked up the stairs everyone else moving closer. “It was the French.”

“What?”

“They were the ones to hold out the longest. As far as I know. While everyone else was bolting for the door and committing suicide they stayed in their labs. Right till the end.”

“What happened?”

“The same thing that’s happening right now.” Jenner pointed around the room. “No power. Ran out juice.”

“We need to grab out things.” Rick looked over at Daryl who nodded before turning round to the rest of the group. “We need to get out of here now.”

“Okay.” Jacquie said as alarms started blaring.

“What’s that?” Glenn asked looking around in a panic.

“3o minutes till detonation.” VI informed them.

“Doc.” Daryl said a little calmer then he did earlier. “What’s going on here?”

Jenner scanned his badge into the computer and entered his security code.

“Everybody. Ya’ll heard Rick.” Shane shouted looking at the group.

“Get your stuff and let’s go.” Rick told the as a loud noise started and they all turned round to see the door they came in through closing.”

“No.” Glenn shouted. “Did you just lock up in?” Glenn turned always from Jenner. “He just locked us in.”

Jenner turned on the broadcasts on the monitor before saying. “We’ve hit the 30-minute window.”

“You son of a bitch.” Daryl shouted as he made a run at Jenner.

“Daryl.” Rick shouted before turning to his friend. “Shane.”

Shane and Rick make it to Daryl just before he’s able to grab Jenner. “No, no, no, no.”

“Pap.” Carl shouted the fear clear in his voice making Daryl stop and move towards his son. 

“Hey Jenner open that door now.” Rick tells him as Daryl pulls Carl into a hug. 

“There’s no point. Everything topside is looked down.” Jenner shock his head. “The emergency exits a sealed.”

“Well, open the damn things.” Daryl told him over Carls head.

“That’s not something I can control. The computer do. I told you once that front door closed, it won’t open again.” Jenner pointed out. “You heard me say that. It’s better this way.”

“What is?” Rick asked starting to panic even more then he was. “What happens in 28 minutes?”

“Come on.” Daryl shouted when Jenner didn’t say anything.

“You know what this place is.” Jenner shouted as he stood up. “We protect the public from very nasty stull! Stuff you don’t want getting out! Ever.” Jenner calmed himself down a little as he sat back down. “In the event of a catastrophic power failure, in a terrorist attack for example, H.I.T’s are deployed to prevent any organism from getting out.”

“H.I.T’S?”

“VI define.”

“H.I.T’S, high impulse thermo baric fuel-air explosives consisted of a two-stage aerosol ignition that produces a blast wave of significantly greater power and duration than any other known explosion accept nuclear. The vacuum-pressure effect ignites the oxygen at between 5,000 degrees and 6,000 degrees and is useful when the greatest loss of life and damage to structure is desired.”

“It sets the ait on fire.” Jenner clarified. “No pain.”

Carol pulled Sophia into a hug holding tight onto her crying daughter.

“An end to sorrow, grief, regret. Everything.” Jenner said sounding so at peace with the decision he had made.

“Open the damn door.” Daryl shouted as he moved Carl away from him and over to Rick, who took their son straight away.

Shane ran towards the door with a fire axe, T-dog and Daryl not far behind him.

“You should left well enough alone it would have been easier.” Jenner sighed.

“Easier for who?” Lori asked accusingly.

“Everyone. You know what’s out there. You’ve seen it.” Jenner looked straight at Rick as he said. “Do you really want that for your husband and son?”

“I don’t want this.” Rick said emphatically.

“Can’t make a dent.” Shane shouted back at the group.

“Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher.” Jenner informed them.

“Well your head ain’t.” Daryl shouted as he made a move towards Jenner but was stopped by both Shane and T-dog.

“Whoa, whoa.” Shane said trying to calm his brother-in-law down but doing the exact opposite. 

“Daryl.” Rick has moved forward Carl still at his side. “Daryl!”

T-do took the axe from Daryl and threw it away.

“You don’t want this. Last night you knew it was just a matter of time before everybody you loved was dead.” Jenner reminded him.

“What?” Shane asked looking at his friend in shock as he finally let Daryl go. “You really said that? After all you’re big talk?”

“I had to keep hope alive.” Rick said more to Daryl than anyone else.

“There is no hope.” Jenner corrected him. “There never was.”

“There’s always hope.” Rick shock his head. “Maybe it won’t be you but someone somewhere.”

“What part of everyone is gone do you not understand?” Andrea asked Rick.

“Listen to your friend, she gets it.” Jenner told them. “This is what takes us down. This is our extinction event.”

“This isn’t right.” Carol said over her daughters crying. “You can’t just keep us here.”

“One tiny movement. One millisecond. No pain.”

“My daughter doesn’t deserve to die like this.” Carol told him as Shane walked off frustrated.

“Wouldn’t it be kinder, more compassionate just to hold your loved ones and wait for the clock to run down?” Even though Jenner had been saying this to Carol Jacqui had a look on her face like she understood where he was coming from.

A gun cocks as Shane walked back into the room shot gun in hand.

“Shane no!” Rick shouted as he tried to intercept Shane before being pushed away.

“Out of the way Rick! Stay out of my way!” Shane pointed the gun at Jenner before telling him. “Open the door or I’m gonna blow your head off.”

“This is not the way.” Rick tried. “You do that and we’ll never get out of here.”!

“Shane listen to him.” Lori begged her husband.

“It’s too late.” Shane told them his voice extremely calm.

“He dies so do we.” Rick pointed out.

Shane moved the gun away from Jenner shooting the computer monitor behind him.

“We all die Shane!” Rick struggled to get the gun away from Shane, before he hit him in the head with the butt and threw an elbow into Shane’s shoulder. “Are you down?” Rick asked him as he stood over his friend ready to hit him again if he had to. “Are you down?”

“Yeah.” Shane nods reluctantly. “I guess we all our.”

Rick handed the gun over to T-do. “I think your lying.” Rick told Jenner as everyone looked over at him.

“What?” Jenner asked not having expected that.

“You’re lying about no hope. If that were true, you’d have bolted with the rest and taken the easy way. You didn’t.” Rick pointed out his voice calmer then it had been since they realised what was going on. “You chose the hard path. Why?”

“My wife. I promised her, I didn’t want to but I promised her.” Jenner pointed over to the screen.

“Your wife was rest subject 19.” Andrea stated.

“She begged me to keep going as long as I could.” Jenner sighed. “How was I supposed to say no to her?” Daryl picked the axe back up running over to the door and started hitting it again. 

“Your wife didn’t have a choice but you do. That all we want a choice a chance.” Rick tried to reason.

“Let us keeping trying as long as we can.” Lori begged.

“I told you topside’s looked down. I can’t open those.” Jenner walked over to the security pas and unlocked the door Daryl was still beating on. 

“Let’s go.” Daryl shouted down at them. “Move it.”

Everyone but Jacquie and Rick started to make their way towards the door. 

“There you choice take it.” Jenner told Rick.

“I’m grateful.” Rick told the man.

“The day will come when you won’t be.” Jenner pointed out. 

Rick took Jenner’s hand shaking it until the man pulled him in whispering somthing in his ear.

“Let’s go.” T-dog told Jacquie who hadn’t moved.

“No, no.” Jacquie shock her head. “I’m staying. I’m staying sweetie.”

“But that’s insane.” T-dog argued.

“No, it’s completely sane. I’m not ending up like Jim and Amy. There’s no time to argue. And no point. Now get out.”

Dale grabbed T-dog by the arm pulling him out as everyone made their way out the door leaving Jenner and Jacqui sitting in the big room both of them at peace with what was to come.

“Get the dame doors open.” Glenn shouted as they reached the top.

“Come on!” T-dog shouted following Glenn to the door.

“IT doesn’t work.” Glenn shouted panicked. 

“Wait a minute, wait a minute!” Rick shouted as T-dog tried the electronic security pas next to the door.

“Daryl.” Shane shouted before the man tossed him an axe and the two of them started hitting the window.

T-dog ran towards the door chair in his arms shouting. “Daryl look out.”

When the neither the chair or axe open the door, Shane loads his shotgun firing it at the glass.

Carol reaches into her bag as Sophia whispered “The glass won’t break.”

“Rick I have something I think might help.” Carol told him as she held up the grenade.

Everyone takes cover as Rick removes the pin from, the grenade and throwing it at the window quickly running back to where everyone else had taken cover.

The grenade goes off shattering the glass nearest to it and everyone runs out and towards their cars. 

Rick and Shane shot down some walkers in their way as Daryl takes off one of their heads with his axe.

Rick leads the group Daryl and Carl right behind him as they reach the cars, getting into the RV.

“They got out.” Jacquie said happily as they watched the group reach their cars on the security monitors.

“Everybody back!” Rick shouted as he started to get lower. “Everyone down.”

Everyone duck down just as there’s a loud sound and the C.D.C goes up in flames.  
The heat blast through the windows setting everything around it on fire. The fire growing until the roof disintegrates and the building collapses on itself.

Rick starts the RV the group all driving away from the burning building no idea what they’re going to do or where they can go next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this story and I would love to know what you thought in the comments.
> 
> I would also love to know if people want me to make any other changes for the next story, that will focus on season 2 as well as having some of the comic book story lines added in, as there's some I quite like from the beginning that weren't in the show.
> 
> I have ready through and corrected all the mistakes I could find but if I missed any that you spot please feel free to let me know in the comments so I can fix them.


End file.
